Legend of the Harp Episode II: The Tempest
by Hemaccabe
Summary: The Harp's personal war against the Empire continues and grows. Can arbitrage defeat tyranny?
1. Chapter 1

**Legend of the Harp**

 **Episode II: The Tempest**

 **Chapter 1: In the Middle of the Night**

(Author's Note: As we begin my second novel, set in the period between the end of the Clone Wars and the Battle of Yavin, the technology descriptions I use get closer and closer to mainstream canon sources. This is reasonable as I consider the Original Trilogy the most canon and definitive and we are getting closer in time to that moment. Still, since we are some distance away, my story does not agree in all ways.

One of the frequently heard refrains in discussions of the Star Wars universe is that energy weapons must have large magazine capacities to make it clear that was the reason the Star Wars galaxy moved away from slug throwing (I.e. the sorts of guns used on modern Earth) weapons.

I don't agree. There is no mandate that a particular technology must come at some time or in a particular order. The idea of using an explosive powder to move a metal slug down a metal tube to strike and kill a target downrange is not obvious or intuitive as can be seen by how many civilizations here on Earth got caught by surprise by firearms technology.

Further, many of the same sources depicted in the Original Trilogy that show blaster tech is new, show that slug throwers did not proceed them. We never see a slug thrower in the hands of a Sand Person for example. Storm Troopers, despite being the best trained infantry in the galaxy, still don't know how to carry a weapon correctly. Even the relatively competent Mandalorians often choose a two-pistol rig over a rifle in long range engagements. This is not optimal and reflects an immature understanding of ranged weapons. These indicators, among others, show firearms, of any sort, are new, not just blasters.

While we don't have libraries of ethnographic and anthropologic histories of the Star Wars galaxy, based on what is described in Bloodlines, it's clear that most galactic civilization comes from a single source, probably the first civilization to acquire FTL travel. Further, there is no "Prime Directive" in the Star Wars galaxy, advanced civilizations will go to and trade with primitive civilizations eventually giving away the keys to the FTL kingdom. This observation is particularly borne out by the number of primitive civilizations (Toydaria), that have become part of the Republic community. It is almost a trope of the Star Wars galaxy to see the mixing of new and old technology, such as the animal drawn hover platform.

The conclusion I draw is that blaster tech would not likely have had the deep capacities to fire so many shots without reload.

A second issue that comes up is that Imperial Forces seem to be, as I will call them, "Smoke Gundarks" or as we might say here on Earth, "Paper Tigers." Clearly the Empire's ships are built by low bidders with poorly thought out designs, particularly the Star Destroyer. The quote from Tarkin at the beginning of the Imperial Star Destroyer entry on Wookiepedia describes a philosophy, not to actually BE powerful, but to LOOK powerful. The Empire intends to rule not through direct combat, but intimidation. If you were a planetary leader and saw a fleet of huge Star Destroyers enter your system accompanied by clouds of TIE fighters, you wouldn't be thinking, "five of my capital ships can take on three of theirs and my X-Wings can handle 4 TIEs apiece." You'd be thinking, "that force is overwhelming, we need to surrender before we're destroyed."

This policy means the Imperial Military is vulnerable to deterrence. Too many well-armed planetary militaries choosing to resist would cause more Salient-style embarrassments, which could encourage further resistance as the remaining Republic Member Governments see the inherent weakness of the Imperial Forces, which is actually what we see happening in Return of the Jedi.

A second issue is the number of troops and TIEs a Star Destroyer can potentially carry. We actually have a good idea of the Star Destroyer's size based on the Falcon's landing on one in Empire Strikes Back. 72 fighters seems like a painfully high estimate for what they could reasonably hope to carry. More worrisome is a number like 9,700 troops. I think the number of TIE Fighters and Storm Troopers is overstated substantially. Star Destroyers are clearly multi-role ships. It's more likely they carry compliments of fighters and troops reflecting their specific mission. More troops when supporting a ground action, more fighters for space combat. Even then, carrying more than 1000 troops or 72 fighters seems like a conservatively high estimate, and not in combination. Further, we have other canon sources to support my position, particularly the battle sequences in Episodes 4 and 6. In the battle of Yavin we know the Alliance sortied approximately 30 fighters. The Rebel fighter force is engaged by Imperials, but they don't seem very outnumbered and are able to clear the skies and that's the force being carried by the Death Star! The number of enemy fighters is way smaller than what we would expect from such a vast fleet. In Episode 5, the whole fleet doesn't seem to send down much more than a single, admittedly well equipped, battalion. My story will reflect the 72-fighter capacity but will keep that as balanced against a lower potential number of carried infantry.)

***Jedi Knight Jors Zaemon, In Thought***

Since the beginning of the Empire, the end of the Republic and the end of the Order, Furry and I, perhaps I should say, my fellow Jedi Knight Kazan and I, have been trying to raise support to oppose the Empire and restore the Republic. It hasn't been easy. You'd think a totalitarian regime replacing a democratic one, with centuries of tradition supporting individual rights, would be unpopular. You'd be wrong.

When Palpatine declared the Empire, the Clone Wars had just ended. Justified or not, the Empire got the credit for it. Peace and victory tend to be popular things.

Then the Emperor abolished the clone army. Troops went to Kamino and dismantled the cloning systems. Sanctions were placed. Funds were seized. People were arrested. A lot of Kaminoans and their sympathizers complained bitterly that this was hardly gratitude after what they had done for the Republic during the Clone Wars. Generally, the Kaminoan complaints fell on deaf ears. There was a huge amount of anger left over from the decision to use clone troops, including some of mine.

Just before the invasion of Exxelon, I had found myself with Master Mace Windu. Master Windu was in a candid mood, perhaps realizing what he had asked of me. So, when I asked, "It's been over two years. What is the problem? When are we going to stop using clones and start building a conventional army?" He didn't simply brush me off.

Mace rolled his eyes and looked at the ceiling. This was clearly a question he had been asked many times. Then he exhaled resignedly and answered. "Think about it. There are more Republic troops going into this battle than there were soldiers in the last war. On both sides. By over a factor of TEN. If we reached out to member governments and asked for contingents of troops like we did the last time around, the militaries of those civilizations aren't much bigger now than they were the last time round, so they'll send the same number of troops. Think how far that many troops would go considering what we're up against? In addition, those governments would also not feel they had to contribute monetarily to the Republic war effort, hey they're contributing troops, and they are some of the biggest financial contributors. We can convert their Credits into clone troops faster and cheaper than any other method of producing troops. That's why rogue regimes use clone troops even though they're so heavily sanctioned."

"Couldn't we take that money and build a conventional military?" I asked.

"We could, and all things being equal, we'd get fewer troops. Also, all things aren't equal. We would have to create a whole new recruitment and training infrastructure, at great expense, before we ever saw the first non-clone Republic trooper. Not to mention the Seppies aren't likely to wait patiently while we pull all that together. Then we would be spending all those Credits while we can barely get the Senate to approve enough funding to scrape by with clones. Our good friend Senator Amidala and her committee just shot down a new funding request. Apparently, they feel we have enough troops."

Ah yes, Senator Amidala and her peace at any price even if it means slitting our own throats party. Count Dooku had tried to have her killed, many times. You'd think she'd get it. Apparently, she wasn't that bright. Yes, her relentless opposition to the Chancellor would seem smart later, but only because the Chancellor ended up being a Sith! In any other war, she would have been clearly and relentlessly wrong with Republic citizens paying the price in blood and treasure for her stupidity.

As for the Jedi, it was easy to paint us with every bit of tar from the Republic, and the Republic was covered with plenty of tar. It was easy because the Jedi had been clearly and openly complicit in the crime of clones. That made every other accusation flow smoothly. The Jedi were accused of being cloistered, religious fanatics who were neither transparent nor democratic, which was basically true.

The Emperor actually figured out how to establish a new Imperial Military that the Republic could never manage. Yes, they did have the luxury of time, which we didn't with Seppy offensives falling on us like rain, and huge, unfettered by Senator Amidala the now absent, budgets. They inducted troops by the millions. The vast majority of those troops came from poor and working-class families. Each one of those kids given a first and only chance at a decent job, life, pay, benefits and dignity. You can bet they, and their families, were very grateful to the Empire. If you're a mom and dad and your boy is in Storm Trooper armor, you're probably not rooting for Imperial Military defeat.

They also created all sorts of new government spending which made jobs. This included building a huge new fleet. Yes, the ships had mostly been designed by the Republic for the Clone Wars, but it was the Empire who built them and that was thousands if not millions of new jobs as well.

That was just the beginning. The Republic was full of deep wells of broken government and corruption. The new Emperor went to work digging them out. How many buckets of corruption did he find, protected for endless years by politics and bribes, then slice open the belly to find, literally, planet sized hunks of Credits? Too many to count.

How many boondoggles, similarly protected, did he uncover? Like the far mid-rim planet desperately needing it's first orbital station to facilitate trade and development, but the Republic sponsored construction, which should take months, has taken decades and become a sinecure of corruption. Not only did the Emperor find them, he raked back money, put people in prison, but most importantly, finished the station! Every person on that planet, enjoying new prosperity, will look up each night as the station flies overhead and be grateful for the Emperor.

How about other problems? Like the Republic High Court Judges who, protected by politics and enjoying their bribes, couldn't figure out how to convict Nute Gunray. Four Times! The same Nute Gunray who demonstrated he was very much a traitor through years of Clone Wars. Watch those Judges be hurled down to prison cells or the gallows. Their vast criminal fortunes hurled into the Treasury. Every person who had been abused by those courts, and that included entire civilizations, or despaired of using them to seek rightful justice, which was many times as many, they all loved the Emperor.

It didn't end there. The Emperor started a whole new era of investment in infrastructure spending and development, including new hyperspace lane exploration. Very dangerous and very expensive. But each new lane can create mountains of new prosperity for many worlds and systems. Furry doesn't talk about them much, but I looked up his homeworld. They had been at the end of a long set of awkward jumps. They would never even have expected the Republic to do something. They wanted to do something but would never have been able to afford it. The Empire had already drilled a new hyperspace lane right to their home system. Furry's own people were experiencing a new era of prosperity thanks to the Emperor.

The ultimate tool the Emperor used was the Senate. You might say to someone, "But we are no longer free."

The most typical reply would be, "But we still have a Senate, we haven't completely lost Democracy."

Yet.

***Jedi Knight Furin Kazan, approaching the Rock***

It was time for Jojo and me to meet with Admiral Pagot. We flew over to the Rock, landed and took the internal magrail down to the conference room.

"Welcome." The Admiral greeted us.

"Congratulations on your appointment. May the Force be with you." I said as we gripped arms.

Jojo gripped arms and said, "May you go from success to success. May the Force be with you."

"Thank-you very much. My senior Captains and I have asked you here to observe and advise as we develop strategies for the defense of the system should we come under attack." Admiral Pagot explained.

I recognized Captain Thomas, but the other captains were new to me.

"We're honored." Jojo said. I just nodded.

Admiral Pagot continued, "Master Kazan, you apparently have additional sources of intelligence that might be useful, could you give us a sense of when we might expect an attack, what numbers it might come in and from what direction?"

It was traditional in a Jedi-endorsed battle council such as this, that the Jedi present be asked to use their prescience to contribute.

"Unfortunately, I have no insight from the Force that I can contribute. I'm sure that if I, or any allied Jedi have such an insight, we will provide it immediately.

"What I do have to offer is the strategy that has underlaid my decisions that have brought us to this point. I knew that the humbling of Corellia was inevitable. That has been borne out. By saving part of the Corellian fleet, we have not prevented the rest of the fleet from being subsumed into the Imperial Fleet, nor have we prevented the occupation of Corellia. We have, however, saved a shred of Corellia's dignity and that is valuable.

"The situation as I, admittedly an outsider, see it right now on Corellia is that there are a substantial number of those who remain directly loyal to the Empire. CEC loves the Empire and the huge contracts they are writing. CEC's perceived best interest drives a great deal of public opinion in Corellia-space. Unfortunately, there are also many who are quite happy to have traded freedom for safety. Thankfully, there are also those, as evidenced by you in this room, that realize that Corellia was giving up her freedom and dignity when she gave up her fleet and that the cost would eventually be too high. I suspect everyone on Corellia is soon going to realize that it's not a small thing to have given up one's freedom and that will become more and more uncomfortable for them. The Empire's plan is to have Corellia so deep in the noose before she realizes what she's lost, that when she does, it will be too late. So long as this fleet survives, Corellia keeps a last shred of her dignity and hope. If I had a plan, it was that a last shred of her dignity and hope would ruin that Imperial timeline. To that end, we must preserve this fleet at all costs.

"The obvious strategy for the Empire would be to send a fleet here, trap and destroy as many of our ships as possible, as soon as possible. However, I do not believe they will do this. The reasons I have are each small, but they add up to a whole which would seem to be enough to stay the Empire's hand, at least for now, as evidenced by the fact we are standing here, not dead.

"The first reason is simply, such an action would be painfully unpopular on Corellia. With you just sitting here making no trouble, for the Empire to pick a fight will be seen as bullying and bloodthirsty. It will reveal their true nature much more swiftly than they wish to and damage their Corellian timeline just as much, if not more.

"The second reason is part of why I picked Dandoran in the first place. Dandoran is in Hutt space. Clearly the Empire is not afraid to make large scale forays into Hutt space as they have so recently demonstrated. However, any further incursion into Hutt space will give the Empire pause. Too many incursions will become an unbearable insult to the Hutts and, even if the Hutts have no possibility of prevailing on the battlefield, they have many ways to make the Empire's life miserable.

"Also, very important is what I call, 'the Salient Effect.' The Empire sent a fleet under Grand Moff Tarkin to enforce their will on the Corporate Sector. As some of you are aware, the Corporate Sector negotiated certain concessions and autonomy from the Republic. The Empire wanted to show that those concessions would remain only at the whim of the Emperor. The Corporate Sector wanted to show depriving them of their autonomy would be expensive. The Empire may have won on the battlefield and crushed the resistance at Salient, but the Corporate Sector won the war as the Empire is clearly flinching from further such demonstrations. The Empire does not have unlimited military resources, no matter what they may want you to believe. It was far too expensive to quell Salient. Another such demonstration could encourage resistance throughout the galaxy as endless worlds see how little it takes to frustrate Imperial rule.

"A third reason is that the Empire also has a lot of fish to fry. If we stay low on their priority list, it will take them a while to get here.

"My fourth reason, and this is just a suspicion of mine, the Imperial military is something of a smoke gundark. It's designed to be scary and intimidating, not necessarily effective. Star Destroyers are massive, but surprisingly ineffective weapons considering how huge and expensive they are. They can disgorge vast clouds of TIE fighters, which are not helpless, but were clearly bought as a low bid. It's like they were designed to convince politicians to cave. Imagine how someone not versed in military matters would see them. CEC still sells Corvettes with the idea that ton for ton, it can take on larger ships. I agree. Incom sells those fighters of theirs saying they can defeat between three and four TIEs, they are likely right. But a politician would just see, 'We're greatly outnumbered, let's just cave.'

"Still, don't underestimate the Imperial Military, they can still overwhelm you.

"Lastly, Imperial strategy seems to be holding back. It's like they have some sort of plan to have a new generation of weapons about to deploy. This suspicion of mine coincides with rumors of a plan for a Super Star Destroyer. The Imperials may also have something else up their sleeve. They may be waiting until they have enough of those new pieces on the table before they strike.

"On the positive side, I do wish to point out that in addition to your fleet, Dandoran-space will soon become the home of two other fleets, the Hope Shipping fleet and my pirate fleet. I believe that both will be available should you come under attack."

Realizing I had spoken at great length. I bowed and stepped back.

Admiral Pagot replied, "Thank-you for your opinions. I'm sure we'll find them very helpful." Then, turning back to his Captains, he continued, "Whatever is staying the Empire's hand, we must be ready for the moment the Empire's hand loosens and comes our way." Then paraphrasing a Classic he continued, "Think we the Empire strong; and Captains, look you strongly armed to meet them."

After that, they got down to the nitty gritty of defending the system. I'm not sure how Jojo took it, I think he might have been a bit bored, but it was a real clinic for me on fleet tactics.

Dandoran, unlike many of the backspace holes I'd been living in, had two hyperspace corridors. Hardly a nexus, but still twice as many options for retreat and twice as difficult to defend.

One hyperspace lane led back into the Empire, the other deeper into Hutt space. The obvious vector for an Imperial attack was straight down the Imperial hyperspace lane. The second was for the Imperials to circle around through Hutt space, a higher risk strategy for them as we would be more likely to be tipped off and they would lose the element of surprise. Also, it would be a far greater insult to the Hutts. If the gambit worked for the Imperials, they might hope to sneak in our back door, so we needed to be ready. Then lastly, the Empire could try and come from both directions, this would cut off our escape and put us at a tactical disadvantage, being forced to defend ourselves from two vectors. One further possibility being that the Empire could attack from one side first, get us fully committed to defending that axis only to then bring in ships from the other and put us at a substantial positional disadvantage.

I watched as Admiral Pagot and his Captains plotted out all the possibilities and then use every wisp of gravity and every rock's shadow to give themselves the maximum advantage. Then how they would delay and fight against an incursion inflicting the maximum casualties on an attacking fleet.

During one of the breaks I pulled Captain Thomas aside and said, "It was my expectation that you would command the Hope Fleet. Are you here in that capacity or have you been asked to command one of the Patriotic Fleet vessels?"

Captain Thomas replied, "I've been asked to take command of one of the D2 Frigates, the Raptor. Some of the crews of all the ships chose not to defect. Of those, command officers tended to be the least likely to come, meaning the Fleet is painfully thin in that area. Unfortunately, that means I'm not available to command the Hope Fleet. I was also going to speak to you about having someone take over my duties in running and managing Hope Shipping as well."

That was depressing. Best laid plans though. "Do you think Captain Kory is able to take over the duties in question?"

"He should do fine," Captain Thomas answered and continued, "and I think he would appreciate getting out from under my shadow."

Admiral Pagot and his Captains continued for several hours late into the night until they had worked out some very well honed and extremely efficient plans. When they were completed, Admiral Pagot turned to me and asked, "Is there anything you would like to add Master Jedi."

I think everyone, Jojo in particular, was ready to break for the night so they were disappointed when I said, "Your strategies reflect how you would have defended Corellia. They reflect a typical planetary defense. However, your goal is not to fight to the death to extract the maximum deterrence. Your strategy should be an ordered retreat from the system to a prepared position. The Empire, when they come, will not be deterred, but they can be delayed. You will need to be fighting to give time to evacuate and preserve your fleet. I suggest another meeting in a week's time to discuss?"

Admiral Pagot nodded his head and said, "We will drill these plans this week, but next week we'll meet again to create revised plans."

After that, we all filed out. The looks I got were rueful but respectful.

Sky and I ferried Jojo back down to the house. Jojo and I wished each other a good night and he went in to get some well-earned sleep.

Even with my extra time, I was still a busy man. With everyone asleep, I went to my next project. I now had massive assets under management. I had the Credits from the Jedi Order, Funori and PanGalactic. Hope shipping was making money hand over fist and that was nothing compared to the mountains of new funds coming each month from my pirates. My already existing investments were also showing nice returns. Yes, I was spending like a drunken sailor, but it was a drop in the bucket to what was coming in. I needed a new management strategy. What I came up with was to buy large positions in as many major galactic firms as possible. I had already purchased chunks of a number of up and coming tech firms to challenge the remains of the Techno Union. Many of the major civilizations of galactic society had one, or at most a handful, of champion firms that represented them in the galactic economy. My first purchase in this process had been a one percent share of CEC. I had also bought one percent of Coruscant Media Productions, Alderaan Lifestyle Products, Kuat Drive Yards, Elysia Resorts Unlimited, Sienar Systems, BlasTech Industries and Spires Motors Company, among many others. There were thousands of major civilizations in the core alone. I had also bought up positions in many smaller companies like Incom, Batampte and all the outfits who had contributed to Revenge.

Having these large positions conferred many benefits, though they varied depending on the company. Typically, they included some form of dividend which meant ongoing income to wage war. They also frequently included preferred access to services, for example, I got to buy ship parts from CEC at cost.

I was also frequently on the inside of the circle of trust with the companies which often provided marvelous intel.

Another bottleneck I had was shipyard capabilities. I had Corellian Specialty Ship Yard Corporation and Jotun here in Dandoran space and pretty much the entire staff and their families had come as well. However, I had one small shipyard and a whole lot of projects I wanted to pursue.

I had a lot of plans for the Hope ships. The Hope ships, all IXp3s, were typical container freighters. We had considered starting to add some IXp5s but would probably wait until after the IXp9s finally debuted. The IXp3, like other freighters of her type, had a forward hull containing piloting station, all other duty stations, except engineering, and crew facilities like life support, quarters and mess. Behind the forward hull, there would be a long spine. The IXp3's spine just large enough for a single human-sized crewperson to walk down to the engines. The Engineering duty station was, not surprisingly, where the engines were. In other freighters, like the Class Four, the spine is fatter, with room for guard droids, a brig and a large loose cargo area. The spine of either sort of freighter is actually an external grav cargo bay. One can stack up to a thousand containers on the IXp3, as long as each container doesn't exceed mass limits, has all other requirements firmly in hand and they are stacked carefully. Insuring these considerations represents one of the major crew duties during loading operations. As an aside, there is a tug mounted beneath the forward crew area and is not typical of this sort of ship, it's a special feature of the IX line and one of the reasons Corbeen chose this particular model. In addition to containers, many other things can be mounted on the spine. For example, a tanker attachment. Instead of a thousand containers, one big fluid or gas holding tank can be placed on the spine and the versatile freighter becomes a tanker. Hope fleet's contract with Dandoran's new station required Hope fleet to make this conversion on at least one freighter. So, Hope fleet was currently working hard to acquire a tanker, a task which had fallen to Corbeen, who had come along to Dandoran, but was now back in Corellia-space shopping. At least the tanker attachment was something that had been manufactured and could be bought, though it would need to be installed. I also had a lot of other plans for the Hope Fleet's IXp3s which were much more problematic. I wanted to build B-Packs for the Hope Ships. I hoped all the crews would be ready, willing and able to fight. I knew, even with the mega-sized IXp3 sized B-Packs, the Hope ship freighters wouldn't be Star Destroyers, but they could provide critically valuable fire support in a large-scale capital ship engagement. The Hope ship B-Pack would be a several orders of magnitude bigger project than Revenge's B-Pack and it was not clear if it was something the yard staff could design on it's own without support or if the yard itself was even big enough. Revenge had stretched the yard's physical size capabilities and one of these IXp3 B-Packs would be much bigger than Revenge. The whole idea was still up in the air as the Hope ships might be better used and more needed as evacuation ships. Though to be evac ships meant creating people transport cargo holds for the IXp3s, which had never been made and we would also have to create. Of course, there was also simply the option of acquiring people transports and building capital military ships.

Other shipyard projects included that I still wanted a second B-Pack for Revenge. I also had Corbeen acquire three Corellian made versions of the Light Cruiser from the Clone War era. Yes, the Light Cruiser was designed and built by Kuat Ship Yards, but like many other contracts, some of the work had been farmed out to CEC and CEC had built better examples than the originals adding extra structure and improved off the shelf CEC parts, particularly engines. The Empire was still using the Light Cruiser, but most of the Light Cruisers from the Clone war era, nicknamed "Jedi Light Cruisers" had been mothballed and the Empire was buying and deploying an upgraded new generation of the ships. I had bought the Light Cruisers out of scrap with the idea of adding some umph to the new Corellian Patriotic Fleet, but all three ships needed extensive renovations just to be space-worthy. I also wanted Bearer-like upgrades and Revenge-like guns. The problem was the Light Cruisers were too big for CSSYC's shipyard. The work I was suggesting on the Light Cruisers was hugely more complicated and would require a much bigger staff. At the same time, the Patriotic Fleet, the Hope Fleet and my Pirate Fleet needed maintenance facilities, and CSSYC's yard was all we had. Jotun's yard was getting swamped.

I should also mention that Hope Fleet was now up to thirty ships. My Pirate Fleet which had previously peaked at six and had lost two crews so was down to four, now had regrown to ten. We had picked up four ships from Corellia, mostly YT and YZ freighters, and one more each from Die Tze and Salient. I wanted the six new ships to get breathed on, while crews got trained, but we were still swamped.

Which pointed to another issue, I had promised to help try and liberate Die Tze. I was feeling very uneasy about this promise. My Insight said it would not work out well. Still, I had probe droids on planet collecting intel and we had been sneaking in Vultures. Human piloted fighter craft couldn't linger indefinitely, but Vultures could be brought in, left on rocks in low power mode, and be ready when the signal was given.

I wasn't worried yet about the space combat, but the ground combat was another matter. Of my 100 BXs, after the recent battle, 54 were still in function. My repair droids were confident they could get 8 more up and running. Then we'd have a supply of some, but not all repair parts. I was shopping for more BXs, or BX parts, but the Empire had dismantled all the production plants and the droids were popular with many people for the same reason I liked them. None of my freighter guard droids could be brought back to life. Nineteen of my destroyers were still running.

There was a substantial Imperial presence on Die Tze. The Die Tze military was under heavy guard. I still didn't have a good plan for how we would get in there. Luckily Jojo and Bayo, who were much better at that sort of thing, were working on a plan.

There was some good news. We had acquired over 900 of the new E-11 rifles that the Empire was issuing as well as a variety of other equipment pieces including rocket launchers, grenades, radios, binoculars and other useful bits.

The E-11 could fire 20 more potent shots more accurately than the E-7 rifles the BXs had come with, so that would be an upgrade. We also equipped the Korpluck Town militia and the Patriotic Fleet with the E-11s with quite a few left over.

I was always looking for trouble I could encourage so I packed twenty of the E-11s, a whole bunch of other surplus weapons and some other nice things into a shipping container along with another full container of Batampte emergency rations and two more containers of equipment. All four containers were loaded on Revenge for a little side trip to Ryloth.

Ryloth had never been willing to knuckle under for the Hutts, then the Confederacy and now, surprise, they weren't willing to knuckle under for the Empire. It hadn't taken long for Ryloth to go from happy Republic member liberated from the Confederacy to open rebellion against the Empire. Force Bless Them.

I snuck into Ryloth system, relatively easy since they were a close neighbor. I had upgraded my stealth systems on the Revenge slightly, I could send a random registration for a Gozanti which would confuse Imperial Forces which were enforcing the blockade. For Ryloth I had an Imperial Fleet Gozanti registration and code.

I knew, from Clone War days, that the leader of the Ryloth resistance would be Cham Syndulla. Finding Cham, whose location would be the greatest secret of the Ryloth resistance, and something the Imperial Military didn't know and wanted desperately to find out, gave me an excuse to exercise some mental muscles I hadn't used much since my days in Jedi Intelligence. Rather than try to apply greater resources and technology to the problem, pretty much the only solutions Imperial Officers were trained to use, I read the Imperial military after action reports, mapped their locations and, with some review, it became clear that Cham Syndulla was living in his ancestral home in Tann province. Despite this being obvious to me, the Imperials had not figured it out. So that's where I landed.

Revenge's elevator placed me on the ground next to Cham's handsome home. I was greeted by a large group of armed Twi'leks.

I put up my hands in a non-threatening way. One of the advantages of my current condition was it was easy to change my appearance. On my left shoulder was now proudly displayed a Jedi Order Battle Ensign. On my right, was an emblem of the Republic.

The leader addressed me with a thick Twi'lek accent, "What brings you here?"

"I've come on a mission of friendship. I know this is the home of my old friend, Cham Syndulla. I believe he's present inside." I replied in a friendly tone.

"Twi'lek have no friends. You claim to be a Jedi?" He replied.

"The Jedi have been friends to the Twi'lek people for many years. Jedi have died on Ryloth fighting for Twi'lek freedom and yes, I am a Jedi. I am called the Harp." I answered in a friendly tone.

"All the Jedi are dead. Prove it." He snarled. Then he shot me.

Well, he tried to shoot me. My saber was in my hand and I deflected the bolt down to the ground.

"This could get expensive for you." I said in gentle warning tone.

Cham took that moment to come out and say "Stop. Lower your weapons."

Not, "Put your weapons away," but an improvement.

I doused my saber and re-stowed it.

"Master Syndulla. It's so nice to meet you." I said warmly.

"So, Mister Harp, what brings you to my home?" He asked.

"Master Harp." I corrected.

"Master Harp." Cham acknowledged.

"Mister," was what one might address any given private person of low standing. "Master," was not me claiming to be a Jedi of Master rank, just the correct protocol for addressing someone of a high status. Essentially, I was demanding that Cham show me appropriate respect, which was particularly important as Jedi were known to be prickly about such things.

"I have brought you gifts. As the Jedi and the Republic brought in the past, so again do I bring them now." I said.

"What did you bring?" Cham asked.

"Perhaps we could repair to someplace comfortable in your home, and then, perhaps over some refreshments, you could tell me where you want the containers and then my pilot could put them down there?" I offered.

"Where are my manners, please come in." Cham said, gesturing to the doorway.

Cham led me and several of his people to a large, nicely decorated and comfortable sitting area and gestured for me to sit in an honored guest chair. I sat.

Cham sat opposite me and some of his people sat or stood about the room in a way that wasn't overtly threatening, but clearly there to insure my good behavior.

Cham spoke into a comlink and a few minutes later, an attractive and well-dressed young Twi'lek girl brought a tray with drinks and small snacks.

"Hera, why have you disobeyed me?" Cham snapped at the young girl.

It took me only a split second to parse. Cham had not wanted me to see his daughter or for her to be exposed to my possibly, still nefarious, plans. Hera, the privileged and curious daughter, had engineered an excuse to see the interesting stranger who might be a Jedi.

Hera bowed, placed the tray on a low table between us and ran out of the room.

Sigh.

After serving the drinks Cham finally got back around to, "So, what did you bring?"

I described the contents of the containers and he gave me directions where they should be placed. Then he was, perhaps, impressed when Revenge lifted off without direction, went and placed the cargo then came back and resettled in exactly the same place.

"So why do you bring me this aid unasked for?" He asked.

"I know you're at war with the Empire. You know I am also at war. I had surplus. I remembered how Ryloth needed aid during the Clone Wars. I brought. It's that simple." I explained.

I actually felt guilty. I had brought a lot of my cheap surplus, like the old E-7 rifles and their magazines. I could have brought a stack of catalogs and procured the finest equipment from around the galaxy. Giving him less than the best meant I was reducing his odds of victory and increasing his number of casualties. However, I knew this might be a long war and the Empire had deep pockets. If I blew my wad on every delivery, I'd rapidly run out of money even with pockets as deep as mine. I had to prioritize and make the best use of the assets we already had, including those E-7 rifles. They were a gift. I wasn't ripping him off in a purchase. If they weren't useful to him, he didn't have to use them. I guessed they would be useful since I knew there were still a lot of pre-blaster weapons and single shot muzzle loading smooth bore blasters out there and E-7s were a big step up from those.

"I'm sure there are many you could have brought presents to, why us?" Cham asked.

I leaned back into his cushy chair and took a sip of his Rylothian liqueur, I couldn't enjoy the liqueur, but it gave me a moment to compose my answer. "I could say something to try and play on your vanity, like 'Ryloth has been fighting the good fight since before I was born.' I could say something cynically pragmatic like, 'Clearly you are the enemy of my enemy so for now we should be friends.' But the truth is that around the galaxy, when someone thinks of Ryloth, they think of pretty dancing slave girls and think of Ryloth as nothing more than a little back-space tawdry burlesque show. While all the rich, powerful and proud are hurling themselves to their knees to kiss this Emperor's ring, knowing that it compromises every principle they have ever claimed to support, here, tawdry little Ryloth is standing up for what is right. When it's not easy. When victory is not assured. When most precious blood may have to be spilled. I respect that. Greatly. So right now, I have the ability to support you. Little enough though it is, I hope it helps. Further, the list of those in open rebellion is short. I would be happy to find support for any others you are aware of."

Cham leaned back in his chair and after a moment, "Well said."

"There is one thing I would like to know?" I began.

"What?" Cham asked.

"If I can come back again, what do you need the most?" I asked.

Cham leaned his head back for a moment and thought, then answered, "Portable power supplies and fuel."

I had been expecting guns and grenades, so I was pleased.

"Why those?" I asked.

Cham answered, "The Imperial blockade stops most supplies from getting through. We can grow food, though portable rations are useful. We have weapons, there is a great deal of Separatist war material that got abandoned here. However, our power grid remains down as a punishment from the Imperials, spreading misery. Portable power supplies and fuel would help that. Also, many of the Separatist weapons we could use are not operational for lack of power and fuel."

"On my next pass, power supplies and fuel then. You say you have a lot of Separatist war material?"

"Yes." Cham replied.

"By any chance does that include any BX droids?" I asked hopefully.

"It does. We have a few hundred, not in working order, and a supply of spare parts." Cham answered.

"I could put those to good use. If you would not mind, put them in one or more of the shipping containers I brought, and I'll take them on my next pass." I requested.

"It will be done." Cham answered.

More BX parts could really help. After that, our little tête-à-tête came to an end and I departed.

Power supplies and fuel, where to find them? I did a bit of research, found a nice firm in the Corporate Sector that produced well regarded power supplies. I purchased one percent of their firm and then got three shipping containers of power supplies at cost. Most fuel was purchased from the Mining Guild, as in the commerce guilds that supported Palpatine into fomenting the Clone Wars and were still his lickspittles. I was going to need to purchase fuel for the station anyway, but one couldn't purchase ownership of a guild. So, what does someone do who wants to purchase fuel not from the Mining Guild? I went to Malastare, purchased one percent of Malastare Energy, and started buying fuel from them at cost. I took delivery of three shipping container sized tanks immediately.

I got back to Dandoran a day before the next Captain's meeting. I had done a bit of negotiating on the way and was working to solve some other problems. I had talked to Jotun by subspace commlink.

"Do you think you could set up another facility? Do you have someone who could manage it? Do you have enough personnel?" I asked.

"Yes and no," Jotun answered. "I actually have an excellent candidate to manage the facility, Old Hack. He's practically entitled, and he pretty much taught me how to run this place. It's kind of a bad deal that I pushed him to the side, though he always did know this was a family business. Still, he deserves better. As for personnel. We've hired on some hands from the folks who came from Corellia and even one kid from Korpluck Town, but we're short hands."

I knew about Old Hack. He was a Besalisk that had been Corbeen's first hire and strong right hand. He'd been running that yard with Corbeen for decades and was more than qualified. It would have been quite natural for Hack to be promoted from Assistant Manager to Manager upon Corbeen's retirement, but Corbeen had given the business, as had long been expected, to one of his children, in this case, Jotun.

"Well, start thinking about splitting up your personnel we're expanding." I said.

"What do you have in mind?" Jotun asked.

"You'll see soon." I said obscurely enjoying myself.

It would take six full Hope ship cargoes, but a new shipyard was on the way. As luck would have it, CEC made ship yards. I had ordered a big one. It would be sent in pieces. It shouldn't take a shipyard to assemble, just lots of conduit connecting, welding and bolting. Also, some tugs.

I got back to Dandoran space just in time to dock with the old shipyard and walk into the main office space where Jotun and the inside crew worked, to watch the six Hope ships emerge from hyperspace. It took several hours, but they unloaded the new yard pieces.

"Once the new yard is assembled, we'll move the old yard to Elysia. I have a deal with the main resort operator. We will be offering a new service. Many folks come to Elysia on paid transport. Many come in private ships and are very wealthy, so they have their own arrangements for maintenance. However, many come in their own ships and could use some maintenance done. They drop their ship off when they arrive, then get shuttled down to their resort. They don't have to pay for parking their ship at the resort. While they're frolicking, our crew brings the ship up to full standard, or as close as it can get, also a nice clean in and out, and have the ship ready for departure when the guests are done. All for a reasonable price." I explained.

"You want to do resort maintenance?" Jotun asked skeptically.

"No one else is on Elysia so it should be quite profitable. It will also make a wonderful cover for when the Pirate Fleet drops by for maintenance and upgrades." I explained.

"Ahh." Jotun answered.

"Now you'll have a yard here big enough to service anything up to a Star Destroyer. We'll have to figure out personnel. Particularly some design help, but I'm working on it." I explained.

"We'll get right on it." Jotun said.

I went down to the house and greeted Jojo. "How are things going?" I asked.

"It's really going well. They're starting to come together. A few more months, we should have a really capable force." Jojo replied as he parried away another of my thrusts.

It was really wonderful to spar with a fellow Jedi. Jojo had been among the best of our generation. If reconstituting the Order did fall to the three of us, he would definitely be Master of the Blade.

Sometimes when we sparred, I would use all four blades. Sometimes I would just use a single blade. Before I had sparred again with a real living Jedi, I had all sorts of ideas how I would be using four blades and how that would allow me to overwhelm a single blade. Jojo proved me wrong. Even as I attacked, he would manage to keep his blade dancing into my way and occasionally striking into my defenses. I won occasionally, but he clearly took more points.

Fio would join our sessions. She had a gift for the saber as Jojo had but was so much less experienced. I still had no trouble with her but sparring with her was more about instruction. I think I helped, things Jojo had said to her a hundred times would sink in when I said them once. I would see holes in her form that Jojo's familiarity had blinded him to. I was deeply aware that I had multiple blade instructors as a Padawan and Fio would likely have only two.

After sparring we would get some tea and bring each other up to date on our activities.

While I was off gallivanting and having a good time, Jojo was staying here on Dandoran building an army. Jojo had the help of his clone friend, Bayo, their other three surviving clones, Buddy had passed, and a number of the refugees were former Marines from the Corellian Guard Fleet. We had issued an order that any male between the ages of 18 and 55 would have to get training and be expected to serve in the Town Militia. Most would be serving in a reserve capacity. That meant they would complete basic training, do some days each month and once a year give a couple weeks, assuming the Empire didn't rout us out of here in the next few days. While on reserve duty, they could be completing school and doing their normal work. However, anyone from 18 to 21 would be expected to serve active duty. Females who wanted to serve were welcome if they volunteered. About a third did, including the Widow Brown. Anyone who wanted to make a further commitment could receive additional training and become a Patriotic Fleet Marine and serve on ships in space. We also had a track where they could opt to stay full time after age 21 and become officers of the militia. We had a whole lot of E-11 rifles and we were handing them out.

Jojo knew the mistakes in training first hand and was making sure our Militia would be ready to fight. In addition to the general fortifications and facilities we had built around Korpluck Town, we had set up several hidden bunkers and supply points in the mountains east of town so even if we got overrun, we could keep fighting and making the lives of whatever enemy had come miserable.

The town, in general, was really developing fast. Word that there was good agricultural land and ready buyers for food production was bringing in farmer colonists from all over. They were setting up farms and providing food. We'd had to expand the mini-spaceport to a full spaceport along with lots of loading and unloading facilities. Good thing I was no longer paying retail. Kohn's Bukar Beef noticed how good Korpluck had it and set up their own facility. We had induced Batampte to also set up a facility, based on the fact I was a very large shareholder and was consistently making huge orders from them. I needed to keep our various ships fed as well as fill many shipping containers full of emergency rations for all my new friends and acquaintances. Several entrepreneurial Corellians had set up a business in the industrial park making 'clothing." Really military clothing and equipment as I would be buying it from them to equip our Fleets, Militia and shipping containers full to various folks like the Twi'leks as aid. If anything, we had a shortage of labor, as evidenced by the shipyards. We also had notable gaps in skills, like Ship Designers.

One positive note was Ti Bault. He'd managed to shoot me. Twice. And survive. It would be good to have him on my side.

The med droid on Revenge had no trouble doing the necessary plastic surgery and Ti would now pass as a tall thin human. He wouldn't withstand a med-scan, but his genetic structure was well known to the Empire and the Trade Federation and there was no way to fix that. Well, one way that I would never use, but none other than that.

Ti now had clear strong identity papers identifying him as Bi Tault of Galtea, just as my ID, when it needed to be brandished, was Furin Kazan of Galtea. Galtea was ideal for such documents as they were out at the edge of the outer rim, had a great deal of autonomy and were not sufficiently advanced to be able to reply to a request via commlink, even if such a request could get through over the vast distances involved. This meant all requests had to go by ship, a long, long way, at great expense and be processed by hand. I used Galtea for a number of IDs for people I cared about. Of course, I had taken the extra step of making sure that even if such a check was ever made, I had entries into the Galtea system that would corroborate our identities. It would be a nightmare for any minor Imperial bureaucrat who decided to give us a hard time. Force bless the complexity of galactic bureaucratic systems.

One of the captured Gozantis had been 'cleaned' by my 'paperwork' and the work of Jotun's good offices. Ti, or perhaps I should now say, Bi? was settling in nicely to his duties running my Stash. He oversaw and brought in the, now, ten new shipments a month. Watched how the shipments were digested in and directed them to storage. At the same time, he would collect up the product that had sat long enough and market it. We still never sold more than a few containers at a time. Slowly, the fence known as the Harp was growing ever more notorious.

Once sold, the shipments would be bundled up, and Ti would use the clean Gozanti to deliver the shipments to Hope Fleet's receiving dock at Dandoran Station. As part of their other duties, the Hope ships would deliver the cargoes to various backspace stations and place them in storage lockers. The lucky bidder would then get the location and security access code for their purchase.

Ti was doing an excellent job, and it saved me a huge amount of time. Still, I monitored him closely as I expected he would eventually betray us. I added a luxury hab for him at the Stash to keep him comfy. I also made sure he had access to unlimited stays and a bottomless spending account on Elysia. He never got to stay more than a few days as he always had another shipment coming in and he needed to be moving cargo out, but he did get a few days a month. Eventually, we'd need to add more staff if I kept increasing the size of my pirate operation, but I had no idea where I would find such people.

***Bounty Hunter Mahe Jiru, Hutt's Palace, Dandoran***

Mahe Jiru, or as he had once been known, Jedi Master Sa Tasta Burana, looked over the bodies of the Mila Hanska and Wing Kong. The battle at the Hutt's palace was barely over. Apparently, someone with an army of droids had pushed back the Empire, destroying one of the Empire's prized new Star Destroyers and killing a whole lot of Imperial personnel. Apparently, they had been aided or led by two Jedi.

The Emperor and his hound were too busy to hunt down every Jedi that popped up. They had some "Inquisitors" that they were using for the job, but they wouldn't work against serious Jedi. Mahe Jiru suspected the Inquisitors had already been tried on these two and failed.

The Emperor was also making deals with small Force using groups to lend him hunters to seek out the remaining Jedi. By the looks of these two, that hadn't worked out so well either.

Now the Empire was hiring the few bounty hunters with a record of success against Jedi to deal with the problem. The Empire was so desperate for skill in this matter, they had been willing to hire even him, even though he wasn't human. As a Nyani, he had always felt looked down on by galactic human society.

Nyan was a small civilization, in the outer rim, confined to a single system. It was surrounded by several much larger, predominantly human civilizations. The ever so advanced and tolerant civilizations around Nyan could never quite seem to get over what Nyani looked like.

The Nyani tended to be about a third of a meter shorter than humans, but wider and more heavily muscled. The Nyani also had dark, short fur covering their bodies, sloping foreheads and prominent mouths. Nyani tended to walk with what humans would think of as a bow-legged gait. Nyani arms were proportionally longer than human and reflected that Nyani ancestors had brachiated more than human. It was still common to find a walkway, particularly in more rural areas of Nyan, that was designed to be crossed with hands rather than feet.

The problem was the Nyani fit so many of the stereotypes humans had for those humans who were stupid and unsophisticated. Every Nyani that tried to make their way beyond their homeworld had to deal with relentless prejudice. Eventually, most stopped trying and only a handful of Nyani diplomats and business people would routinely leave the homeworld. Jiru knew if he went far enough, he found places that were not run by humans who would take him as he was, though he would always be an outsider alien. It was annoying that the Empire was clearly humano-centric and, not surprisingly, drew heavily from the civilizations near his home for personnel.

It was funny to Jiru the way the humans looked down on Nyan. Every human civilization Jiru had ever seen always outgrew their homeworld and crushed it's biosphere. Nyan had found a way to develop technologies to live in harmony with their planet and limit their population. The Nyan had off world colonies in habs and on other planets in their home system, but they kept the homeworld's population in check with great wisdom and self-discipline. Nyan had technology and science just as good, if not better, than any of it's neighbors. The Nyan had no permanent colonies out system for many reasons, not least was being surrounded by older civilizations, the nearest potential candidates for colonization would be very distant.

Still, the Jedi had come to Nyan and searched for Jedi candidates. They had found Burana and brought him back to the Temple. There had been hope that a successful Nyani Jedi could be a bridge to other galactic civilizations. That had not worked out.

Burana had studied and worked hard. He had been promoted and promoted again. Eventually being promoted to Master for his research into Faster Than Light Physics. Work Burana had done was now represented by engineering in every new hyper drive system making them safer and more reliable. Of course, Burana got no financial return for that, it all belonged to the Temple, but he had done the work for the greater good.

When the Clone Wars emerged, he had not been in the first fifty Jedi sent to lead clones, so he volunteered. One might think, with his expertise, he would be used in Republic research, or perhaps as a Fleet adviser. Burana had been assigned to lead a battalion of clone infantry. A battalion notably lacking heavy equipment, only five companies of infantry. Still, Burana had led them with distinction.

Burana had been away from his unit scouting when pain from the attack on the Temple came. As bad as the pay had been, it had been a warning. With that warning, Burana had been able to get to a safe place before Order 66 came down. His own troops had hunted him like an animal but, by the grace of the Force, he had escaped.

Then what was he supposed to do? He had circled around and got some things, mostly he grabbed the unit treasury and his false IDs, so he would be able to travel. He also stole a small shuttle and was on his way. Burana had adopted a pre-planned alias, Mahe Jiru, which meant simply "Big Chief" in Nyan.

Jiru had run for the outer rim. How could he go back to Nyan? If they welcomed and defended him, the Empire would come down on them like they had on Kashyyyk. How could he bear it if he had made them ashamed?

So Jiru had headed for the outer rim looking for a hiding place. He found it in a back water no place, but quickly realized he had a problem. He had few Credits and no way to get more.

The first bounty had been easy. A relentlessly repeat offender spice addict had murdered a girl and fled. Jiru had found him and killed the two guards his rich father had put to protect him. Then he had dragged the spice addled rich boy back to justice. Five hundred Credits. For two lives and a bounty. It was a living.

Jiru had many bounties since then. Once you've taken enough bounties, they all melt together. Each one was a moral compromise in it's own way. The innocent girl who would be better off in custody. The labor leader falsely accused. Someone a rich guy just didn't like. It was money. Jiru had given up on the idea the Order would ever come back. If there was no Order, what was the point of the Code? If he didn't take the bounty, someone else would. It took Credits to live.

Then came the first bounty for a Jedi. He hadn't known the bounties were Jedi we he took the job. Their bounty had gone up and up because no one could bring them in. The bounty offer had nothing about them being Jedi. Otherwise the offer never would have come to Jiru. They had taken quite a bit of hunting down. Jiru had a lot of time and Credits invested in tracking them. Then he found them. One of those miracle Knights that had been made quick during the war before they were ready and her even worse prepared Padawan. It was too late for them. If Jiru found them, someone else would. If the Credits didn't go to Jiru, they would go somewhere else.

They were surprised when they drew their sabers that Jiru had one of his own. Jiru had offered to take them alive, but he knew that their days were numbered even if he did bring them in alive. The fight was fierce but brief. The two bodies brought him a good bounty and a good return on his time. They were the first Jedi he had brought in, but they wouldn't be the last.

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	2. Chapter 2

**Legend of the Harp**

 **Episode II: The Tempest**

 **Chapter 2: Walking In My Sleep**

***Jedi Knight Furin Kazan, the Rock, Dandoran System***

The next week, Jojo and I went to the follow-up Captain's meeting.

Pleasantries were once again exchanged and our opinions were once again requested.

I began with, "I must make an apology and request. I'll begin with the apology. There are many things that while small, are working in concert to stay the Imperial hand from coming to Dandoran. However, I believe that if the Empire became aware that there are Jedi here, all bets would be off. As such, it behooves all of us to be as discreet as possible on that matter.

"I would like to say that we have consistently been as discreet as possible. We have not, particularly me. For my lack of discretion, and the risks it has placed on all of you, I offer my deepest apologies. There are those who know. I hope we can depend on their discretion. We have to be realistic about the capabilities of Imperial Intelligence. We should put together a plan for retreat.

"Next is my request. I hope there are those in this room who not only seek to defy the Empire, but to strike back. I hope it is well understood that only the weakening of the Empire will allow you to return home to a free Corellia. However, as I said last week, we can't use this Fleet as an offensive weapon.

"We do have weapons other than our ships and guns. We have remarkable expertise and facilities. On the ground, we have trained an army to a standard that, I suspect, surpasses the Empire's. We could discreetly accept guests and put them through similar military training. Up here, we would have the ability to train pilots and other naval specialties. Any future resistance will be desperate for such trained personnel. We can provide this training here discreetly and it will likely be a far more potent weapon than any other we can muster."

With that, I bowed my head and sat down.

Admiral Pagot again thanked me and the real meeting commenced. This meeting went far less well than the previous week's.

There was some reasonable grumpiness about the fact that our presence might be an issue. Cooler heads prevailed and the knowledge that they might have the last Jedi in the galaxy helping them. Whatever negative stereotypes had emerged lately of Jedi, the fearsome reputation we had accumulated in the Clone Wars now served us well. The fact that the Empire clearly had Sith support, which most normal people in the galaxy saw as 'evil Jedi' helped.

The main problem was, we really had no place to go from here. The Empire was the galaxy, the galaxy was the Empire. There were places with less Imperial presence. One person could probably lose themselves pretty well. A large civilian community and fleet of warships? Not so much. The Patriotic Fleet was probably the largest military force in the galaxy in clear defiance of the Emperor. Any other world would know allowing such a group in would be seen as open rebellion and would invite immediate reprisal. In a galaxy with more open defiance, a home would be easy to find. Unfortunately, there was little open defiance.

I would need to find some place that would be a fallback position. I had no good ideas. I'd have to work on it.

The idea of providing training was accepted quite easily. I think they liked having a way to hit back that wasn't suicide. Details were worked out and I informed them they would have a first group of trainees soon.

The meeting broke up again amicably. Another meeting was set for a month hence. Hopefully, we'd have some progress on a fallback position.

Then I had to decide what to do with myself. I didn't want to go back to Cham too quickly. It would look like I was desperate for the BX parts. I was, but I didn't want to look desperate. So, with Cham's supplies attached to my ship's belly, I went to Fresia.

I landed at the same pad as the last time and was again met by Mik Balquin. Mik looked much the same as last time, a bit older and a better suit.

"How has time been treating you Mik?" I asked.

"Very well. Since last we met, I've been promoted to Vice President of Investor Relations and Sales." He replied.

That explained the suit. So, I decided to rib him a bit. "Doesn't that mean you should have one of your employees greet me?"

Mik smiled. He was always good at handling me being difficult. "You're special so you get special treatment."

"I can't argue with that." I looked around and noticed the place looked busier. Between my orders, other orders had started coming in. The galaxy was getting more tense. Good. "Let's get some dinner and we can talk about some ideas I've had."

Mik smiled and gestured, "My speeder's this way."

We went to the same smoked meat place. I ate, even though I didn't get much from it. It was pleasant to be reminded of the pleasure of food. We talked sociably for a while, then Mik asked, "So what sort of ideas do you have?"

"I have some friends. They have some big ships. They want to modify and upgrade these ships. They have the shipyard they need to do it. However, they don't have the design help they need or the manpower. I figured Incom might have some good designers in the paddock that could use some contract work." I ventured.

"Well, I can't help you there. Our designers are constantly busy doing work for Incom projects. We have a new ship in the works." Mik said incredibly disappointingly, then surprisingly added, "However, maybe I can help you on the other side?" Mik answered cryptically.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"One of the reasons Incom is on Fresia is because there's a lot of talent here for the kind of work we need to do. Fresia is also not in the best spot, navigationally speaking, so there's lots of need for jobs. You put up some help wanted notices, you should be able to hire all the people you want." Mik offered helpfully.

"Would Incom be willing to help host my hiring effort?" I asked.

Mik laughed. "Incom's founder came from a poor Fresian family and built Incom on Fresia in order to try and help bring jobs here and alleviate the unemployment problem. I'm sure Incom would be happy to help you hire some people."

The rest was details. I worked out with Jotun, Old Hack and Mik a time the next week to come out and do interviews. Mik helped me put together a want ad and post it on the appropriate local holonets. Incom HR would handle an initial sift and we would invite candidates for interviews next week. Hopefully, this would bear some fruit.

Now I had plans for next week. I had no excuse not to visit Cham again.

Off we went to Ryloth.

I put down my cargo in the same spot as last time and then settled on the pad near the manse. Cham may have been a radical political activist and now a freedom fighter, but he had a nice home. Clearly, he came from money.

This time I was ushered in with less, but still present, paranoia.

"Thank-you again Jedi." Cham began.

"I hope you will also be in a position to help me." I replied.

"The parts you want are in containers here." Cham said as he drew up a holomap.

I spun my finger in the air and Revenge went to fetch them.

"Thank-you. There is something else I can offer you." I began.

"What would that be?" Cham asked a bit confused.

"I have facilities to provide high quality military training both for ships and infantry. As far as I'm aware, you have no fleet. However, I suspect you have a number of recruits who have no training or experience. Some serious training could improve their effectiveness and survivability greatly. Also, if you want, we could provide pilot training. The pilot candidates would need certain minimum education qualifications. If you got your hands on some ships, you would have some combat trained pilots ready." I explained.

"That's quite an offer, and very unexpected, could we have some time? Even if we accept, it would take a few days to bring the personnel together." Cham asked.

At that moment, Hera fell through a door and ran to Cham, "I want the pilot training Papa." She announced.

Cham said something back to her in their native tongue which did not sound happy. There were several exchanges back and forth. Hera started crying but left the room.

"I'll deliver these droid parts and come back. Should take about three days. Will that work for you?" I asked.

Cham, still flustered, nodded. I took my leave. It must be tough to be a Father.

I ran the BX parts back to my droid shop at the Temple. Our force of BXs had grown from 54 to 62, but that was as far as we could go. With these parts, I was hopeful we'd be able to re-expand our cohort. My maintenance droids got right to work on the pile. Limited numbers had been holding back the Die Tze plan, hopefully this would move things forward.

I went back to Ryloth.

Cham met me with twenty-five of his fellow Twi'leks and some guards.

"These patriots are ready to accept your training. We have twenty who are ready to receive infantry training and five who meet the requirements for pilot training." Cham announced.

"We will provide the best training possible in brotherhood with the free people of Ryloth." I said saluting.

I noticed Hera was among the pilot trainees. Her face was down. She looked very determined and like she had been crying a great deal lately. She held a small pack before her fiercely with both arms. She was accompanied by an outdated looking orange astromech.

They trooped aboard the Revenge and Cham came to shake my hand.

Cham took that moment to ask quietly of me, "Please, take very good care of my daughter."

"I will watch over her carefully. I will also look after all your people and do my best to bring them home safe. I am deeply honored to be so trusted, I will do everything in my power to be worthy of this trust." I replied in the most comforting tone I could muster.

We gripped arms and I took my leave.

I delivered the 25 patriots to Jojo at New Korpluck Town. They would all get our 100-day basic training. At the end of which, hopefully, all 20 infantry candidates would go back to Ryloth far more ready for action. The five pilot candidates would go up to the Rock where they would go through ground school, flight school and space combat maneuver school, which would take substantially longer.

It might seem like I was ignoring Die Tze, but that's simply not true. As I said before, I had scout droids there now gathering intel. I also had Shield on the ground there as well. Die Tze had a fleet of 9 gunboats and a single larger ship, similar to a D2 frigate. All the ships were products of Die Tze's pre-occupation effort at a shipbuilding industry. Compared to the Corellian PB-950 gunboats, the Die Tze gunboats were larger, more heavily armed and had a larger cargo capacity. In turn, they were also not as sturdy, fast or maneuverable.

Die Tze had an interesting history. It had been settled by artistic types, painters, holovid makers, sculptors, but mostly musicians. Die Tze earned most of her Credits from tourists coming to attend concerts, who would buy some art, stay at hotels and eat at restaurants while they were there. Apparently, the restaurants had been just as artistic and good. Die Tze had also made a lot of Credits from Die Tze musicians going on tour and bringing the Credits home. Since Die Tze was in the Corporate Sector, the artists loved it since she had very favorable tax rules for artists that weren't possible in the greater Republic.

There was one fly in the ointment. They were close to a number of pirate syndicates who felt, correctly, Die Tze was a soft target. After some ugly raids in which many people, including tourists, were injured and murdered, Die Tze decided to protect herself and built a fleet.

There were several engagements that stayed in space that started to change the perception of Die Tze's vulnerability. However, a final pirate raid managed to kidnap 87 Die Tze citizens and tourists and take them back to their pirate stronghold. The still fledgling Die Tze navy tracked the pirates down, and in quite the daring and well executed counter-raid, rescued the hostages. They also destroyed the pirate fleet and stronghold. The Hashin pirates became history.

After that, pirate activity came to end. There had also been no fewer than three holovid retellings of the raid and a number of documentaries. They had all been well received, and more importantly, made back their production budgets.

After Salient, as one might expect, a political tinge had joined the art of Die Tze that was decidedly anti-Imperial. While the Empire had been dissuaded from further action in the Corporate Sector, I'm sure Die Tze became a thorn in their side. So, the Empire put together a surprisingly subtle plan.

In a "gesture of reconciliation" the Empire offered to make Die Tze a major port of call for shore leave. Wiser folks and perfect hindsight might have said accepting this offer was a bad idea for Die Tze. However, the chance to have all those thousands of Imperial service people, their pockets full of back pay, staying at Die Tze hotels, eating at Die Tze restaurants, attending Die Tze concerts and bringing home Die Tze souvenirs was just too tempting.

So, the three Star Destroyers showed up. In a show of good faith, the Die Tze fleet was on the ground. The Star Destroyers landed large numbers of personnel for "shore leave." Then the three Star Destroyers disgorged large numbers of TIE fighters and the shore leave crew suddenly took control of the capitol, including keeping the Die Tze navy ships on the ground and rounding up the Die Tze military personnel.

In what was likely the only bright spot, four of the gunboats got off the ground. Crewed by retired personnel who had raced into action when they realized what was going on. Of the four, one didn't make it out of the system. She gave her life to give the other three a chance to escape.

The ships were low on fuel, stores and had no torpedoes in their racks. Two of them had come to my service. I'd taken good care of them. The third, Captain Andersson and the Midnight had decided to go his own way. It had not worked out well, and with the loss of Divide, he had decided to join us. I had gotten his ship up to speed quickly. He was also on board with our plan.

We had been ferrying in Vultures and hiding them. We'd also been smuggling in and pre-positioning military stores and equipment to support an insurgency. We already had most of our BXs on planet and they had managed to dig in near the concentration camps where they were holding the military and other "undesirables."

All of it wasn't enough. If we went now, even with surprise, we'd likely get overrun. I'd communicated as much to Captains Crosby and Andersson, but they were impatient to get things started. For good reason.

With Imperial occupation, Die Tze was literally starving to death. All her normal commerce was shut down, meaning they had no Credits to buy anything. Even if they did have some Credits in savings, nothing, including food and medical supplies were being allowed to be transported in.

I moved Bayo and Jojo back to the New Temple to work on getting the new BXs up and running. They brought enough rifles to make sure every droid we brought back would now have an E-11. We needed to make sure they could fire them accurately.

I wanted to move forward for all the obvious reasons. However, I had a personal reason as well. Shield had been on Die Tze for some time. Shield was coordinating the recon droids and was also working on the ships and equipment. Shield was moving discreetly and making sure grav locks and booby traps had been disabled. Also, he was making sure any damage done to the ships to make them inoperable had been repaired. We needed those boats to fly.

I contacted my old friend Saw.

"You can bring your people to Dandoran. We'll put them through high-quality combat training, make sure they're well equipped and send you on your way." I offered.

"That's a kind offer." He replied.

Saw, who probably didn't need the training joined his men as he was a lead from the front sort of guy. His 24 joined the Twi'leks and a handful of Dandorans.

It was around this point I started to notice we were running out of E-11 rifles.

I convinced BlasTech, of which I was now a one percent owner, to set up a facility on Dandoran. Jojo and Bayo reviewed a lot of products available from BlasTech and competing arms manufacturers and they chose a rifle called the A-280. I was sure I was just going to have BlasTech produce more E-11s, but as per Jojo and Bayo, it would be the A-280. They would also produce, and I would buy, a new pistol called the DL-44. Bayo said that the DL-44 was a remarkable improvement.

As I had been dumping the E-7s, DC-15s and all the older rifles into anything that looked like resistance to the Empire, now so would we start dumping the E-11s. I looked on it as a sign of success.

I returned the Twi'leks home after basic at the same time we infiltrated Saw's forces and a whole bunch of the "new" BXs. We had gotten 73 more BXs running with Cham's parts for 135 total.

Cham got to see I wasn't holding his daughter for ransom and I brought her and the other four back to Dandoran to begin flight school.

Then I proceeded with Jojo and Bayo on Bearer, while Sky and myself proceeded on Revenge to Die Tze-space.

We were all ready and we had waited for a moonless night to take action. As Jojo, Bayo and I crawled up to a spot overlooking the camp, one could see the Star Destroyer above lit up with it's many onboard lights.

Jojo said, "You said you had a plan to take down that Star Destroyer, if we don't, this will be one short battle."

"Is everything else ready to go?" I asked.

"Yes sir." Said Bayo.

"Then let's do this." I pressed the button on my high-powered transmitter.

Of course, this may take a bit of explanation.

I had, some time before, determined which Imperial cargo ships were being sent to re-supply the Puissant above us.

I had Sky drop me off outside a depot and had little trouble sneaking in, I became a crate on the back of lorry. Then once inside, I became an officer and walked myself into the cargo ship and became a crate of explosives, in a pile of others going to Puissant.

I was taken to and unloaded onto Puissant where I was placed in an unlighted cargo hold. I waited for a single crewman to come in. When he did, I killed him, took his identi-stick, shoved the body in an empty crate, became him and left. I made my away across the ship to the main reactor. I placed a series of very capable conventional explosives around the reactor in very non-descript packages. I had been a crate of explosives after all.

The trickiest part was getting off the ship. I could have ridden a transport back, but that would have been tedious and time consuming. I could have launched one or more escape pods, but that would have been letting the Imperials know something was up.

Shuttles went up and down from the surface every day. I hid in one and made my way quietly off base.

I had done all of that some months ago.

As I pressed my button, I hoped they had not found the explosives. They hadn't. The Puissant first rolled a few degrees to the right. Then one could hear the Imperial alert sirens from her open launch bay. Escape pods started firing and ships started to come out. Then the ships started to launch in a panicked way. A shuttle hit a tie-bomber and they both exploded. Then the whole ship rolled over to the left and just when the top of the ship was facing down, she fell straight down like her strings were cut.

Saw and his troops fired specially prepared rockets at eight of the fourteen towers surrounding the camp and they went down. Then all our BXs and Saw's men attacked. Jojo and I went with them.

The Imperial Storm Troopers were not doing well. They were surprised and disorganized. I suspected the most elite troops were not used for such tasks. We carved through them fast. Captain Bayonet was in general command of the assault. Jojo was leading from the front. I went where the Force took me.

As I moved through every bit of resistance I could find, I felt myself drawn to one of the many anonymous permacrete buildings. I cut myself quickly through the door. I quickly killed a Trooper and a Lieutenant. There was an office across the way. I kicked the door in and deflected a blaster bolt. There was the Colonel in charge of the camp. I raised my blue saber and, as he begged for mercy, it entered his body at his right shoulder, passed through him exiting at his left hip. His several pieces fell to the floor. I collected up the weapons. Everyone was carrying satchels tonight to accumulate weapons and equipment.

I took his identi-stick. I put it in the comm station. He was a senior officer. He had access to all sorts of material. I had a holotablet with me that I had carefully optimized for my work. I started downloading every part of the Imperial network I had access to. As an afterthought, I loaded the Colonel's parts into a garbage bag I found in the office.

In space, Sky had led our Vultures and twenty-four Harp flagged X-Wings, aided by our pirate fleet which wiped out the remaining TIEs and other Imperial craft allowing none to escape.

It all still took a while. The fighting was mostly resolved. Of the five remaining gunboats and frigate, all were taking off, bellies full of refugees and the sick. There were many in the camp who had been human skeletons. Outside the camps, there were many experiencing malnutrition. One gunboat blew apart as it lifted off. Perhaps Shield had missed something?

My pirates swooped in and dumped supplies and filled their bellies with refugees. We knew things were bad, but not this bad. I had already comm linked back to Dandoran. They were setting up on the Rock and at the clinic. The Militia Reserves had been called out.

I hadn't intended to, but I had Ti bring the Harp Gozanti and he picked up people too.

We knew our time was limited.

Saw got all the people who wanted to stay and fight to our hidden positions. I wished we could have carried more in Revenge, but we were pulling out all the BXs and any spare parts, i.e. BXs who hadn't made it. Bearer would have people. All the scavenged gear stayed on Die Tze.

I waved two BXs to follow me. We buried the Colonel in a foxhole which made a nice shallow grave.

All the Die Tze ships and their refugees went to the Rock. Their flag, the frigate Blue, went straight into the shipyard as the first ship in the new shipyard.

I wanted to stay and organize the relief, but we had an appointment on Fresia. I rounded up Jotun, Old Hack and Corbeen. Jojo would be bringing the Bearer as always.

On the way to Fresia, I put notes in the Imperial system that clearly showed the Colonel was away on leave. I would enjoy weaving confusion. Where was the Colonel? Was he still alive? Should his pass code be shut down?

We landed at Incom. They had a lot of skilled ship builder trades people. Corbeen, Jotun and Old Hack would see if they had the skills and would fit in. Jojo and I probed their political inclinations. I found about a third were very loyal to the Empire. About a third didn't care. About a third already resented the Empire but were frustrated because they felt they couldn't do anything about it.

We hired from the third group. We ended up hiring 98 people that day. That brought us to full staff plus some.

I thanked Mik and we headed back to Dandoran with a large hunk of new personnel. Now we just needed a ship's architect.

I took over getting people settled. Jojo started a new basic infantry class training with all the refugees who were in good enough condition to start. They were eager.

Captains Crosby and Andersson had wanted to go back immediately, but before they jumped, a flotilla of three Star Destroyers had arrived in Die Tze-space. We watched as clouds of TIE fighters were disgorged. Huge numbers of troops and walkers were landed.

There were a huge number of refugees ranging from human skeleton to badly malnourished. Admiral Pagot had stepped into the breach admirably getting them organized. All the refugees that came to the Rock were treated there. All the refugees that ended up on Dandoran were treated there. There were a lot. I was really proud of the way the residents, both old time Korpluck Towners and new Corellians, leapt into the breach to help.

The house builders I was happy to see were hard at work. We would need a lot of new homes.

We also had to settle the new workers. I had enough habs on both shipyards for the people. Each worker would have a small private room with a lav, bunk over desk and limited food prep facilities. They would also have a housekeeper droid come through every day. Workers would have permanently assigned rooms in the habs. The workers would also be rotated to either Elysia or Dandoran after working for a period on the yard. The issue was who would go to Elysia and who would stay on Dandoran. Strangely, everyone wanted to go to Elysia. We changed the schedules so people who chose Elysia got half as much time off. They also got, as a residence, a small apartment on Elysia. The Dandoran employees would get a large house. The Dandoran employees would also get a two week, all expenses paid vacation at a luxury resort on Elysia once per year, for their whole family. That balanced things nicely. Families mostly ended up on Dandoran and young singles went to Elysia. I bought and renovated an apartment complex that was walking distance to a nice beach on Elysia for the yard workers. The Elysian employees were happy.

Among the refugees I found there was a holovid production team. Without asking, and I suppose, they had no obligation to ask, they had started a documentary. They had footage of the liberation and the condition of the prisoners. When I found out about it, I asked for a sit down which they graciously gave.

"I have no intention of stopping your production, and in fact, I wish to support it going forward. Please let me know what I can do to be of assistance?" I began.

I could tell they were relieved, expecting that I would have some reason to forbid their activities. They gave me a list of some practical things they could use, and I granted them.

"I have a difficult request to make as well. I have to ask you not to reveal the location you have been brought to. If it was revealed you were brought here, the Empire would likely show up here quickly. They would be angry with us for what we did to help you. They would also want to silence you forever. We would lose everything and no longer be in a position to help others. I know this is a difficult request, but I beg you to be reasonable." I asked.

I could tell they were not pleased.

"Are you asking us to falsify our report?" The producer replied.

"No, even if you have unflattering things to say about us you may say them. Just don't reveal our location, or as I said, we and your fellow citizens, and likely you will pay a price." I answered.

"That seems reasonable." The producer acquiesced.

"Then I also ask that we review the documentary before release, just a copy, we won't force you to accept any changes. But we may see things you didn't realize reveal our location."

"We can give you an early preview." The producer offered.

"That's all I ask. I do have some material that may be of use to you. I have compiled from camp records a number of holovid recordings and memos from the commanding officer you may find useful." I offered in return.

"No, really?" She asked.

"Certainly, let me give you a download." I said, and we found the appropriate connectors and I gave them the very painfully incriminating to the Empire materials. Holovids showing the prisoners getting more and more malnourished and memos where the commanding officer explained his plan for breaking the Die Tzes through starvation and torture.

Then I had to meet with the Captains of the De Tze fleet. They were led by Admiral Elbi of the Blue, which was in the yard now. After this meeting, one of the gunboats would go to Elysia. The Prime Minister of Die Tze would also be present. I was very grateful Admiral Pagot and Jojo agreed to come.

"Welcome to Dandoran Admiral." I began.

"We are very grateful for your gallant rescue. I have many concerns, but at least we are out of that camp, alive and at liberty to have those concerns." Admiral Elbi replied.

"Please review your concerns. We have acted as your allies as we wish you to become our allies. It is my hope that through brotherly good treatment, we will become allies." I asked.

"That sounds very reasonable. Obviously, first I am concerned about the condition of our citizens." The Admiral began.

"Admiral Pagot, could you address this? You took up that mantle for which I am very grateful." I asked.

"Of course," Admiral Pagot replied. "No expense or effort has been spared. We are doing everything in our power to nurse your population back to health. We are producing more permanent housing, but we have limited production capacity. Your people will have to put up with temporary quarters until the permanent quarters can be completed. Your people have been offered, and many have accepted, and we expect many more, when restored to health will accept, basic military training. For now, they will become part of the already existing Town Militia, but eventually, as you get your affairs in order, set up a government in exile, that sort of thing, we expect you will move them to a Die Tze military force in exile.

"You're part of that Corellian Patriotic Fleet, aren't you?" Prime Minister Kuijk asked.

"Yes, we are." Admiral Pagot answered.

"So, you were the ones who rescued us?" Admiral Elbi asked.

"We have officially not participated. However, there were 24 X-Wings that participated that may, or may not, have had our personnel aboard." Admiral Pagot replied.

"So, who did?" Prime Minister Kuijk asked further.

"Primarily, you owe your rescue to the Harp." Admiral Pagot answered.

"Who's the Harp?" Admiral Elbi asked.

"Oh, let me make introductions," Admiral Pagot began. "I am Admiral Pagot, leader of the Corellian Patriotic Fleet, currently based here in Dandoran-space. This," and he gestured to me, "is the Harp."

I bowed slightly.

Prime Minister Kuijk then said, "Then it is to you we owe our gratitude, but who are you and why did you rescue us?"

"I am known as the Harp. I've been accused of being a troublemaker, humanitarian and I'm best known as a criminal fence." I answered then continued. "I rescued you because it was the right thing to do. I also did it because it gave me a way to put a needle into the Empire. I'm sure those that think of me as a criminal will think I did it at the behest of two Captains, Captains Crosby and Nelson, who I am very fond of. Some might think I did it because Captain Nelson gave his life, his crew and his ship to save us. That is not the case. I did it because it was the right thing to do and I found that I could. I would have preferred to do it when Captain Nelson was still alive." I replied realizing my emotions had gotten the better of me there for a moment.

I think my answer caught them a bit off guard.

"Do we know what happened to Believer?" Admiral Elbi asked.

"Yes, I have a report on that." I began. "All of your remaining ships were grav locked, disabled and booby trapped. I had agents on planet in advance to make your ships flight ready. They disabled the grav locks, repaired the disabilities and disabled the booby traps. They were successful. I have isolated the scans of Believer at the time of her loss. Believer, like your other ships, was in poor maintenance. Her crew, probably in an effort to speed escape, sent too much fuel to the energizer. The conduit between the fuel cell and the energizer ruptured resulting in the loss of the ship." I reported. I was grateful to Ti that he had reviewed and created the report in question.

"You said you had agents on site to fix what the Imperials did to disable the ship." Admiral Elbi continued to probe.

"We did, and they did. This was not Imperial action, it was poor maintenance combined with crew error and beyond the scope of what my agents could fix." I explained further.

"It seems like ruptured conduit is something they should have caught and may well have been Imperial action. It could have been prevented." Admiral Elbi protested in a way that made me feel as he thought we were responsible for the loss of Believer.

"If you feel the liberation of your people, done at great expense and risk, was not done to your satisfaction, you are welcome to use another ally in the future or return yourselves to Imperial custody. You certainly need not leave a gratuity. However, the Prime Minister and you yourself made a decision, one that you felt would be to Die Tze's advantage at the expense of your fellow governments in the region, which is why you thought the Empire would honor it. You had also been embezzling funds from your fleet's maintenance budget. Perhaps you felt after the defeat of the Hashins, you would no longer have to really defend the planet. You made a series of bad decisions. One of the consequences was the loss of Believer. I recommend you accept it and move on. I believe in the Prime Minister and you can now become the great leaders your people need. Please prove me right." I lectured.

Admiral Elbi sat down. The Prime Minister covered her face.

"Whatever mistakes have been made, I believe you will now be able to lead your people and make the best of this terrible situation. Your people need you now, please don't let them down again." I asked.

"So, the next step is we have to get the Fleet back into fighting form and attack. We blast the Imperial forces in the system and take back our world." Admiral Elbi recommended.

"That does not seem like a practical path Admiral." Admiral Pagot began. "You have seven ships left. Altogether, at best, they would not be a match for a single Star Destroyer. Right now, there are three in Die Tze space."

"Then what should we do?" Admiral Elbi asked frustrated.

"Establish a government in exile. Use your ships carefully to support the ground resistance which will emerge. Right now, the resistance is laying low. Eventually, the Empire will shuffle assets out of Die Tze-space. When that happens, the resistance can begin. Make it very expensive for the Empire to stay in Die Tze-space. I can't promise an outcome better than Salient's, but at least you will sell your planet dearly." Admiral Pagot explained.

"Then how do you suggest I use my ships?" Admiral Elbi asked with consternation.

Jojo answered, "Use them to harass the Imperial Task Force in space. More importantly, use them to shuffle personnel and bring in supplies. Your people on planet will be in constant desperate need of supplies. Also, use them to shuffle troops. Right now, we're putting a bunch of your citizens through high quality military training. They will end training well equipped and better trained than the Storm Troopers they will face. You bring them in, you pull out injured, sick, and untrained. Then heal 'em up and put them through training. You have a lot of sick and weak civilians, you need to get as many of them out as possible."

As Jojo slowed down, Admiral Pagot continued, "You need to keep your ships alive, not waste them. As long as they live, they are a credible deterrent to the Empire. That will be much more valuable for your planet than some glorious, but futile gesture."

Clearly now thinking and less accusingly Admiral Elbi asked, "So when will our ships be fighting ready?"

"Basic maintenance has already begun on Blue. The gunboat moved to Elysia should start basic maintenance as well soon. We will also be loading your empty torpedo bays. Blue will be temporarily moved out of the yard soon as we have found a fuel tank for one of our Hope ships and the need for fuel takes priority. Proper attachment of the fuel tank should not take more than a week, after which the plan is to move Blue back in. Current surveys of Blue are incomplete. It's not clear what work needs to be done yet, so a full schedule is not possible to produce at this time. As we have more information, we will provide it. Obviously, we don't want another Believer, so we must be careful and cautious.

"However, Music and Midnight are available. As soon as the Imperial presence lessens I recommend they be used for resupply missions." I suggested.

I had not said we were stymied because we lacked design help.

With that the meeting broke up and we went our separate ways.

*** Bounty Hunter Mahe Jiru, Dandoran System, Doran City ***

Where would two Jedi and a bunch of droids have gone? That was the essential question of this bounty. Clearly, they didn't linger here on Dandoran. After they finished pushing the Imperials back they were gone before the Imperial reinforcements arrived, no more than a few hours. So where had they gone?

Jiru mused on this question as he went back to the spaceport and had a drink at the bar. He got a few looks, but they were used to a lot of different sorts here. He was wearing his normal things. He had a bowl hat, it gave him a HUD and protected his anonymity. On his body, he wore a cloak. Under the cloak he wore a pair of loose, functional military style pants. He kept his saber across the small of his back. He had a wicked pistol on his belt. His other things hung on straps across his chest. He wore no shirt, it was not typical of Nyani to do so. His feet were the sore point. He had to wear sandals as his feet were too dissimilar to human to fit in their boots. Some Nyani, particularly those in rural areas went barefoot, but most city dwellers wore shoes. Other than go back to Nyan or pay a fortune for custom made shoes, sandals were the best he could do, so he would make do.

Someday, he would save up enough and retire to someplace nice. He had heard that Elysia had some spots on the interior that were jungle like on Nyan. Since they were well back from the beach, they weren't too expensive. A few square kilometers of jungle. A little hut with some basic modern amenities. Enough Credits to pay for some holonet subscriptions, some other simple supplies and have a few left to jingle in his pocket. That's all he asked. This bounty would put him well on the way.

After his drink Jiru went to his ship. He took off and went to look for some informants who had helped him on previous hunts.

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	3. Chapter 3

**Legend of the Harp**

 **Episode II: The Tempest**

 **Chapter 3: Must Be Looking For Something**

***Jedi Knight Furin Kazan, aboard Revenge, near New Temple, System Undisclosed ***

While I'm sure everyone else was going to a well-earned night's sleep. There was no rest for the wicked and Sky took us to the New Temple.

As I debarked I was greeted by Shield.

"I am deeply saddened by the loss of Believer." Shield began.

"I know, but it wasn't you're fault. Ti determined that clearly." I answered.

"I am grateful to Ti." Shield said.

"As am I. How go the Droids?" I replied.

"We had 135 working droids at Die Tze. 49 were rendered inoperative or damaged. With parts available, we expect 32 more BXs can be brought online. Of the 49 rendered inoperative or damaged on Die Tze, it is not yet clear how many can be brought back to function, priority was given to the 32. Currently we have 88 BXs available, the current batch of 32 should be available in the next few weeks after which we will do a new survey on all remaining parts." Shield reported.

"How are we on Destroyers?" I asked. I knew they had taken a hit on Die Tze.

"13 still in function. A survey is scheduled after the BX survey." Shield reported.

I stayed at the New Temple rather than return to Dandoran. I was keeping tabs on the resettlement and other issues the Die Tzes had brought but could do little directly. I was also trying to figure out what we would do for a ship design staff. I could probably go out and recruit either inexperienced or mediocre help immediately. I was picky though. I wanted exceptional and I wanted politically reliable. It was slim pickings. I also looked into my droid army.

We brought in several new pieces of equipment that would help with faster fabbing and two new workshop droids that would help speed the work.

We had the 118 BXs back fairly quickly. Of the 49, only 11 more would ever come back, meaning we would top out 129 when complete. I started to dig deeper. We had a lot of spare parts and could fab many of the simpler parts. However, the droid brain and main motivator units were beyond our fabbing skill, which was not a surprise, they were parts that required large, heavily staffed industrial facilities.

The original manufacturer, Baktoid, was not available to provide replacement parts and the parts were hotly sought by collectors and others who likely had the same general idea I did, a personal army.

Some more research, and I found another producer of droid brains who produced some models that could be used in place of the Baktoid originals. Their "D Series" brains came in three flavors. A D-6100 could animate and operate the BX's form but would be slower and dumber. The more expensive D-6300 would be roughly equivalent, but pricey. The D-6500 was considered a serious upgrade. I ordered 100 of the D-6500s.

Another manufacturer made a compatible main motivator unit. There wasn't much choice and it seemed like they were a slight downgrade, so I ordered 100 of them as well.

Sky and I went and fetched the parts back.

"Work the Destroyers. Then use these brains to bring as many BXs back as possible. Then use the motivators. I want 220 up and running. Keep the other parts in inventory." I ordered Shield.

I then had some time on my hands while various processes worked themselves out and I still had droids on my brain.

"Shield, we will be designing new combat droids." I announced.

Building a new starship from scratch, especially with varied parts, was a major undertaking. Building a new droid? Children did that. If we were trying to build something in the millions, be competitive in the marketplace, be able to source very specific parts, maybe not. Put together a custom batch? Very doable.

I had been doing research on droid parts for the BX droids. As I expected, my Binar friends had droid brains in the right size that were ever so smart. Smart didn't mean so much coming up with new scientific discoveries as much as it meant being able to operate all functions of the droid and move quickly. So, I ordered one.

I had done and did some more research on main motivators. There were half-a-dozen that seemed good. I ordered all of them.

We did some design work, basically copying the BX, though ours would be a little taller and beefier.

The motivators came. We tested and found that we really liked the unit from IA Robotics. I also bought one percent of the company and guess what considerations I got?

We built the rest of the unit on site with fabbed up parts. When we were done I noticed that Shield had included a second pair of arms and the hands were similar to mine. At first, I was going to say no, then I kind of liked the idea of a droid in my own image.

When The HX-Prototype, or Boxie, was completed, I brought him to Jojo.

"What is it?" Jojo asked.

"A new kind of battle droid we may get to go with our BXs," I explained.

"What do you want me to do with him?" Jojo asked.

"Put him through basic with the next class. Let me know how he does." I answered.

"Will do." Jojo answered.

While we were waiting, two of the Star Destroyers left Die Tze space. I had told Saw to wait at least a week after that, but when the week was over, it was game on. Things on Die Tze started blowing up. Midnight and Music started running missions. Generally, one would swoop in, harass and if possible, kill some TIE fighters, then blast out. This would get the attention of the Star Destroyer so the other could sneak in, dump supplies and newly trained troops, then fill up with sick, injured, refugees and new training candidates. Then race back to Dandoran.

We were hopelessly backlogged on building homes, but that team was running full speed and we were placing families by lottery.

With Boxie doing his thing, we looked at another droid option.

Jojo was getting annoyed at me for spending all my time at the New Temple while he held down the fort at Dandoran, but he seemed to have things well in hand and I was literally always available via commlink.

I found several armored chassis that used a gravitic system for propulsion rather than walk like Boxie. We ordered in a bunch and tested them out. Once again, the winner came from IA Robotics, that boded well for my investment.

We built up another prototype using another Binar brain. We fabbed up our own second prototype. It would be able to project a shield like the destroyers I aimed to replace. Unlike the destroyer, with flight, it would be able to handle any terrain with speed and agility. The body was basically ball shaped and about a meter across. It would have a sensor package in the middle in front, one large lens in the middle and a pair of smaller lenses beside it. It would also have two additional smaller sensor packages at 120 and 240 degrees. It would be armed with two high-speed, high power blaster cannons. The cannons ended up on the front, each side just below the waist. They would also have a tube-shaped slot in the upper right-hand side for a heavy weapon, like a rocket or heavy blaster. It had some other nice capabilities baked in and then Big Ball got sent to Jojo just as Boxie passed training with flying colors.

With Boxie's proof of concept, we ordered 1100 brains and motivator units. We also ordered a variety of parts, including joints, microphones, eyes, mouth speakers, among others from IA. We bought top quality. I figured it would work out well as purchased parts would save us fabbing time and IA seemed to be a good outfit, so their parts might actually be better than what we could fab. Like most humanoid shaped robots, the HX would have exterior plates which we would use for armor. We ordered 1100 sets of armor from my Scoeti. When the armor was received, each droid would get a lick of my favorite paint.

I also spoke with BlasTech. We would get a modified version of the A-280 for the HX. It would have uprated internals. It would also have a tap that would let it connect back to the droid. While the blaster would have a larger power drum, capable of firing 50 shots, rather than the normal 20 shot box-shaped power supply pack, it would also be able to draw on the droid's main power supply for extended operation. The tap would also allow a direct connection to the droid's targeting system, meaning it could be fired accurately from almost any position. BlasTech was only willing to do the run since I was buying 1100 of them.

When the parts were assembled on the landing deck of the Temple, I spoke with Shield. "Have my workshop get to work assembling these droids. When we have a batch of 100, send them to Dandoran and Jojo will run them through training. We'll keep the last hundred part sets as spares for rebuild after action in case we can't get more spares."

"Will do." Shield answered.

I had let Jojo know what was coming.

The "HX" would loosely be designed based on the BX. It would have a bigger head to hold the bigger brain. The motivator, which sat between the shoulders on the BX was a little larger on the HX and would be a little further down giving the HX a more barrel shaped torso. The face would be flat, like a very plain protocol droid's, without a snout. The HX would have a round pair of lighted eyes and a rectangular mesh slit for a mouth. It would have two ears roughly where a human would and a third in the back of the head which would let it triangulate sounds immediately, good luck to enemy snipers.

The HX's exterior would be made of armor pieces made by the same people who made Revenge's exterior. All armor pieces would be joined by pieces of the Zillo leather. The HX would then get a camouflage paint job of thick Zillo paint appropriate for Dandoran, so it would be full of browns, tans, greens and black. There would be a Harp logo stenciled in black on the upper left chest and right shoulder. The HX, despite having a hard-armored head, would wear the same visored helmet I was buying for the Militia.

Militia gear at this point was a heavy skintight smart fabric body suit so they would stay warm or cool mostly regardless of weather. They would also have an open-faced helmet, chest armor, forearm/hand armor and calf/leg armored boots from my armor supplier, each with a thick coat of Zillo paint in the camouflage pattern. They would have a light set of Dandoran appropriate cloth camouflage fatigues covers. The fatigue covers could be changed out quickly for other locales as needed. They would be armed with an A-280 rifle, also equipped with shock bayonet. After that, each trooper would have a variety of gear available that they could choose from. Almost all carried a pack and canteen.

I was taking some risk with the Zillo paint. If some fell into bad guy hands and they figured it out, it might make them even more powerful. However, to a casual observer, it would just look like paint. Actual testing showed the paint did improve the resiliency of the armor, but, as I explained to Fio, it wouldn't make one the fabled Beast. Part of the Beast's resiliency was that it was very large, so it could spread the insult over a vast area. Also, while the paint emulated the Beast's ability to disperse insult, it was not nearly as efficient. Lastly, the Beast could dump charge to ground very efficiently in a process we still didn't understand but reminded me of the way a Jedi controlled the energy in a Kyber crystal.

I found the idea of creating a kind of perfect armor that would only work for Jedi intriguing, but still far off. Regardless, it seemed like the paint would help, but not so much it would likely be noticed.

Every so often, Sky would drag me away and we would do a supply run for Die Tze. My second visit to Die Tze, things seemed to be going okay, but they were definitely not budging the Imperials much. Starvation seemed to be spreading in the civilian population.

Homes were, many weeks later, still being built as fast as possible in New Korpluck Town and still behind demand. Every ship seemed to come back full of wounded, sick and starving.

I broke down and had an apartment building built. The quarters were small efficiency apartments appropriate for single people with no family. The building was ten stories and had quarters for a hundred people. It took much less time than building houses. We pulled the first hundred single adults off the waiting list and assigned the other rooms as temp quarters. That eased the list considerably, but we got back to house building fast.

Big Ball did great in testing. Flight and huge blasters were a drain on the thing's energy reserves, so he couldn't linger. He was definitely an attack shock trooper, not a patient stalker or post stander. But for an ambush or a pitched battle? Quite the asset. We ordered 110 sets of parts. Once again, we leaned on IA, BlasTech and my favorite Armorer's.

My little workshop was working at a fever pitch. We had 200 BXs. Company A was original parts. Company B had the aftermarket. We had 15 Destroyers and they were now working full time on the HXs.

My third trip to Die Tze was worse. Saw and his surviving Partisans came out with a bunch of sick and wounded. The rank and file civilians were more and more desperate to get out, but it was getting more and more difficult to sneak in and out. The Imperial Admiral, one Admiral Scharn, wasn't a genius, but he wasn't a fool. He knew his rebels were moving in supplies from space. He was keeping up the patrols and he was using ready reaction forces to jump resupply ships. We hadn't lost any ships, but several had been torn up. Which was making it take that much longer to get the Die Tze ships moving.

I sat down with Saw as we pulled him out.

"What happened?" I asked and Saw knew I was debriefing him. I was asking why hadn't we won? Why was this falling apart?

"They out thought us. The Colonel Borgia they put in charge was smarter than we thought. At first, every time our troops met, the storm troopers would have their blasters set on stun. We thought that was funny. We thought that gave us an advantage. But then, they started taking prisoners. We weren't worried at first. We found out later, those prisoners were tortured. Frequently to death. When they were tortured, they gave up everything. Then the Imperials knew where our supplies were. Who was helping us. Where to find us. We tried to keep moving, but the Imperials got a step ahead of us and we couldn't get away." Saw explained.

"I see. We will have to develop countermeasures." I replied.

When I came back, Shield came to visit me.

"What can I do for you Shield?" I asked.

"I want this please." Shield answered.

Shield showed me a modified big ball body on a holopad.

The body had additional sensors. A pair of arms that looked suspiciously like HX arms had been attached to the upper body. Rather than having many dangling arms and tools as his current body did, Shield had found an interesting power rope option. The power rope was less than a centimeter in diameter and could be manipulated like a long tentacle. It would all spool up under a nice cover at the bottom of the ball-shaped body, so it wouldn't break the ball's round shape. The best thing about the long power rope is one could have a wide variety of attachments at the end. Shield had a neat tool box built into the cover with over a hundred attachments including a variety of data plugs, cutters, welders and manipulators. Far handier than what I had picked out for his current body.

"That's quite a design." I said.

"Yes. It would be a substantial upgrade." Shield said.

"My only concern is that I would want you to be clearly differentiated from the other Balls. Can we change your colors?" I asked.

"Yes, how about this?" Shield asked as he changed his appearance from camouflage to brass and brushed steel. I knew that was a prestige color pattern for droids during the latest season. I was pleased Shield was showing some vanity, it was very sentient. Shield's new body would also have a prominent gold Harp logo.

"Oh, that's very attractive. Can we cover the guns so when were in civilized locales it doesn't bother people?" I asked.

Shield did a quick manipulation and suddenly the guns had retracting covers.

"Very good. Move this to the top of the Droid shop's priority list. I want to be present when we transplant you into it."

"Thank-you Sir." Shield replied.

My fourth visit, we got the last of our Vultures and all remaining fighters on the ground. We tried to also shovel off as many civilians as we could. No one wanted to be left behind under hopeless Imperial rule.

I was deeply saddened. The Die Tze campaign had clearly been a loss. It was like Plynth all over again, only worse since the stakes were so much higher. I was sad we hadn't done more to inconvenience the Empire. I wasn't terribly worried about the civilians. We could keep running in missions and get everyone out who wanted to come. At this point there were only a few thousand more Die Tzes left.

We were still starving for a ship designer. If we had more and better ships, we could have done a better job resupplying the resistance. It might have made a difference.

Then we got a surprise. We mounted another mission to Die Tze to try to sneak in and evacuate civilians. When we came back, the planet was empty. There was no Star Destroyer, no TIEs, no storm troopers. There were also no civilians.

Admiral Elbi looked at me, "Where are our remaining civilians?"

I looked back. "I don't know, but we will find out."

The fact that nothing good could have happened to those civilians and we hadn't had the ships to get them out was like a red-hot metal poker in my gut.

At that point it seemed prudent to return to Dandoran. A lot of things had been floating along that needed to be addressed.

We had been using the lake as water source. Continued recreation on the lake and the proximity of an ever-larger community made that unwise. We found a small, very pure, mountain lake about 40 klicks north east of the town. We set up a pumping station, the necessary piping and a final purification station to make it the new water source. We built the final water purification plant in town and built it to be particularly thorough as we always had to be worried about Imperial skullduggery. We had reports the Imperials were not above using biological and chemical agents.

We also built a wastewater treatment plant 20 klicks south of town. I made sure we would compost most of the materials which would then be distributed to the local farms.

We also set up elections. There would be an elected mayor and a city council. In turn they would appoint a treasurer and clerk. It was time New Korpluck Town looked after some of her own affairs. I wanted them to pay for the school and at least part of the clinic. They also needed some other basic services. Partly, it was so that I shouldn't have to pay for everything. It was also that the people needed to have some control of their lives. It was one thing if this was a temporary bivouac, but more and more, it was likely to be an ongoing town. If we believed in the ideal of Democracy and the Republic, we needed to live it.

I waited patiently for a week to let the campaign go forward and have an election.

In the end, Dor Uker was elected Mayor. Others were elected to the Council representing the various communities in the town. Mayor Uker appointed Mr. Haney to be the Treasurer and a Corellian woman I didn't know to be Clerk after it was approved by the Council.

Then we collected up the Militia and we had speeches. A number of civilian townspeople also attended. First our new Mayor made an address. Then Admiral Pagot spoke and finally Prime Minister Kuijk spoke. They all gave vague and general speeches thanking everyone for their service. Then I made an address.

"Up till now, we have been coasting along without drawing clear lines. The situation has grown more complex and more confused. There are those among you who are simply residents of this Town. The Town will still need you as a Militia as this is a dangerous part of the galaxy you live in and the Town will need to be able to protect itself. There are those of you who are part of the Corellian Patriotic Fleet and will need to be prepared, should the Fleet so order, to take action. Some of you are members of the Die Tze Defense Forces in Exile and your government must also know what assets it has. Lastly, there are those who don't fit in any of those groups or who may fit in one of those groups, but fit better into a fourth group, a group that seeks to restore the Republic and may be prepared to fight the Empire when needed.

"We will start today to assign which group each of you belong to. While here in New Korpluck Town, you will all be part of the Town Militia. You will all answer to a clear chain of command and have the responsibility to protect the Town. However, depending on which group you identify yourself with, it will have consequences down the road. If you choose to be in the fourth group, you will likely be in a position to begin redress some of the wrongs that I know have brought many of you here. You will also likely be in far more danger than your fellow militia.

"Lastly, there have been some expensive and bloody lessons learned in recent action on Die Tze. Expect that to be reviewed in upcoming training. Some of the new directives may seem harsh, but we face a harsh foe and if we are weak, that weakness will be exploited."

That got people talking.

In the end we ended up with four basic militias. As I said in my speech, they would all fight together if we were attacked here in Korpluck Town with a clear chain of command. There was some confusion as to who fit in what militia. If it wasn't clear, they dropped to Korpluck Town Militia.

One gentleman was having a hard time and wanted to place a variety of conditions on service which varied depending on which militia he chose. No one else could deal with him so it got to me.

I looked at him and as he was about to pompously start giving his conditions, I stopped him by abruptly saying, "As of right now, you're assigned to Korpluck Town Militia. If at some point in the future you wish to transfer, you will be given reasonable opportunities to do so. You may not transfer while in training or in action. If you can't live with that and fulfill your responsibilities, being in the Militia is a requirement of residence, leave."

He shut up and accepted Town Militia.

Korpluck was the biggest group in the militia, followed by Corellia then Die Tze. There were about 2000 troops in all and 153 troopers signed up for my rebellion. Officially, they would be the Harp Militia. By the grace of the Force, much good I hoped it would do.

So now I had my rebellion. I doubted I could rally thousands of systems to my side and challenge the Empire as a certain former Jedi had. Yes, everyone here in Korpluck was opposed to the Empire to some degree and I had been letting the whole thing ferment. But now I had 153 trained militia people who had signed up specifically to fight and rebel.

The Militia would still likely be growing. We had a lot Die Tze people who needed to go through training and we were still getting dribbles and drabbles of people from Corellia.

While I'm sure the Empire didn't like us existing, I think they liked letting us sit here. We were an escape valve. If you hated the Empire and couldn't live under it, you could come to us. That way, those same people weren't speaking against the Empire or blowing things up back home. We were also a concentrator, eventually the Empire would want to come here and clean house. We had to be ready to fight or go when that happened. My sense was we wouldn't be ready to fight for some time. Even with everything we had, it was likely the Empire could roll over all of it with one Star Destroyer. A 3-ship flotilla, like they had at Die Tze, would squash us like a bug.

Through all this, I spent most of my time digging fruitlessly, trying to find the missing Die Tzes.

Then by the grace of the Force, our luck changed a bit. The famous ship designer, Eric Cson had been arrested on Respublica. He had a staff of similar geniuses, forward thinking ship designers. Cson had been known for speaking out against the Imperial Navy. Apparently, Cson had developed a proto-type warship, the Prince, which had gone on to be the basis of the Arquitens-Class light cruiser which all subsequent warships built by the Republic and the Empire had been based on. When the Prince had been completed and left space dock, there had been a reception on the Prince for high-level Republic dignitaries, including the Chancellor. Apparently, one of the ship's blaster cannons exploded during a demonstration and several VIPs had been killed and many others had been injured. The thing was, the cannon was forced on Cson by his Navy patron, it wasn't part of Cson's design. The patron, well tied in, wasn't going to be blamed, so they blamed Cson. In the end, Cson got kicked out without pay. It was not surprising that Cson was a bit bitter. Apparently, Cson had shot his mouth off at some point and the Empire, always so tolerant of dissent, had made him and his staff wanted men.

Cson had been traveling about, keeping one step ahead of Imperial authorities when he had been arrested on Respublica.

I called Jojo, "Saddle up, we have a job to do."

We flew two ships as had become our way and landed at different ports. Before we landed we docked and had a conference.

I explained to Jojo, "The problem is, I'm very unfamiliar with Respublica. I've never been here before. Apparently, it's the parent civilization of the small, but now famous, Naboo. While Naboo was lightly settled, Respublica was heavily enough populated that they depended heavily on imported food.

"The problem with getting Cson and his people will be time and timing. Cson's team consists of five people. Cson is the weapons expert and overall visionary leader. Ri Cover is an expert on energy systems. Hol Land is an expert on armor and structure/chassis. John Boyd is the sensor and atmospheric flight expert. Lastly, Keh Josun is the engine expert. They are being held at one location. Their families, five wives and eleven children ranging in age from newborns to their thirties are being held under house arrest, and to insure good behavior, at a second location.

"We need to find both groups before they get handed over to the Imperials. Further, we need to grab both simultaneously. If we grab one group before the other, than I'm sure security on the second group will increase exponentially."

"So, you grab one group, we grab the other?" Jojo asked.

"That's how I see it. Be careful and don't be afraid to be ruthless. I want all of us back." I said.

Bayo interjected, "We should keep blasters on stun. This world is solidly loyal to the Empire, but if you ever want to change that, a memory of terrorist rebels, dead guards and bystanders won't help."

"That actually makes a lot of sense. Thank-you Captain." I replied

"Also, a few guards won't make a big deal either way. But guards who remember with gratitude that they're not dead will be better than families with a permanent grievance." Fio said.

"Very true Padawan. I also know enough about Respublica that it's not the sort of place everybody walks armed. We all need to find discreet places to keep our weapons." Jojo explained.

"All good. Thank-you. Unfortunately, where they are being held and how is not publicly available. My review seems to show that they are most likely being held in one of two areas. The first option is the Capital. I'll land there. The second option is a large metropolitan area called Prospero, where they landed. I want you to land there. We'll both investigate discreetly. Let the Force guide you and we'll share information by encrypted commlink each evening." I explained.

"Sounds like a plan, let's get to it, we're not getting more time if this conversation goes longer." Jojo said then clapped.

We went to our ships and landed at the spaceports in question.

I had a plan.

I had checked the local HoloNet and selected a local investigator, Josephus Flavius.

As I walked off the lift from my ship, Josephus was waiting for me.

Shield and I got into his speeder. As normal, Sky wanted to stay on the ship. His speeder was large, but not very luxurious.

"Welcome to Respublica. What can I do for you? For what you're paying, the skies the limit." Josephus greeted us.

"I'm a journalist. This is my holocam droid. We want to do a story about Eric Cson. So, we need to find where he is being held. Anything you can do to facilitate will be appreciated." I answered.

"There are a number of places they may be currently held. I'll take you on a tour." Josephus suggested.

"Lead on." I replied.

Josephus took us on a tour of the central Capital. Respublica was beautiful. Many large buildings, but all ornate and beautifully built. Also, there were spaces between buildings with parks and plazas.

"Who are they?" I asked pointing at some poorly dressed people cleaning a park like droids.

"Slaves." Josephus answered.

After that I noticed there were a lot of slaves on Respublica.

Respublica also had a lot of jails, prisons and other places they might hold prisoners.

After a few fruitless hours I reached for the Force.

"Take us that way." I instructed.

Josephus drove and forty minutes later found us at a tall, white, very functional looking building.

"What's that place?" I asked.

"That's an administrative detention facility." Josephus answered.

"Is it possible they're in there?" I asked.

"Yes, very much so." He answered.

"How do we get in there?" I asked.

"We don't. Unless you can find a way past security." Josephus answered.

"Take me back to my ship. I want to do some research. Please continue to use your own resources to research the locations of the designers and their families. Also try to find a way into the facility. Contact me if you find anything." I ordered.

"Will do." Josephus said as he dropped me off at my ship.

*** Jedi Knight Jors Zaemon, Respublica, Prospero Space Port ***

We all left the ship. I had brought Boxie along, he would watch the ship in our absence.

I had gotten used to Korpluck Town. It was a lot nicer since Furry rebuilt, but Furry was a big believer in form follows function. Respublica was very into ornamentation. It was really nice. And BIG! I was from Coruscant, but it had been awhile. Unlike Coruscant, everything here started at ground level and went up. Everything was built with attention to appearance. Most of Coruscant looks like a dark industrial nightmare, things here looked like they were from fairy tales. We started walking. I noticed there were lots of groups of people moving around wearing simple rough grey cloth jumpsuits. On the chest of the suit, was an insignia that looked like a short horizontal row of metal chain links.

We took public transportation, hired cars, then walked where the Force led me and we walked into an 'Exclusive Stay' hotel that was clearly placed to serve a spaceport clientele. We walked into the bar and sat down. A well-dressed young man came and took our order. His uniform, while not simple gray cloth, also had the chain link logo on the chest.

When he served our drinks I asked, "What does that symbol on your chest mean?"

"You must be from off planet." The bar tender replied with a smile.

"Yes." I answered.

"The symbol marks it's wearer as a slave." The bartender answered politely.

The Republic had fought slavery for years. Clearly, it was back here on Respublica with a vengeance. All hail the glorious Galactic Empire.

I thanked the bartender and paid our bill. We then got up and looked around the hotel.

I found a young woman, wearing a maid's uniform which was also emblazoned with chain link logo. She was just leaving a room and was doing some folding and pushing her cart.

I stopped her. "Hello, can I ask you something?"

No doubt taking me for a customer of the hotel she replied, "Of course sir, what can I do for you."

I could feel a hint of fear in her voice.

"I believe there was a large party of women and children here for some time. From off world. Maybe in several rooms? Are they still here?" I asked.

"I'm sure I don't know." The maid said, lying poorly, but clearly afraid. Then she went on to say, "Please I'm not supposed to speak of other hotel customer's private business."

I could feel her fear growing as she spoke.

"It's important," I said. "They may be in danger."

"The wives and children of those ship men were moved." She said dissembling.

"Do you know where they were taken?" I pressed.

"I heard them say that they would be taken to the Exclusive Stay spaceport hotel in the capital. I know nothing else." She said in a broken voice.

"Tell me your name?" I said.

"Bina." She answered.

"Where do you live when you're not working here?" I asked.

"The slaves stay in a dorm behind the hotel among the service machinery." She answered.

"Thank-you very much for your help. I will be back." I replied.

*** Jedi Knight Furin Kazan, onboard Revenge, Capital Spaceport, Respublica ***

Once aboard, I contacted Jojo. "With the business I'm doing I'm swimming in blue ink."

"Lots of blue ink here too." He replied.

"I think I have a location. Not sure if I have the men or the wives and children or both." I said.

Jojo replied, "I think I have a location for the wives and children at the Exclusive Stay Spaceport Hotel in the capital."

"So that means I must have the men." I replied.

"So, I'm going to get myself up there. I'll meet you there." Jojo said.

The next day Jojo met me at the spaceport. We went to Josephus together. We checked the hotel and got some eyeballs on the well protected rooms of the family. Then, Josephus took us to a place near the Administrative Detention Facility.

"This is the company that does the laundry for the facility. For the right price, they could smuggle you in." Josephus explained.

Some negotiations with a fat, sweaty, balding man who clearly abused his female slaves would get Shield and me into the Facility that night.

A while later, back on the Bearer we laid down the plan, fairly simply, "You go get them out of the Facility and Bayo and I will get the families." Jojo concluded.

"Done and done." I said.

*** Jedi Knight Jors Zaemon, Respublica ***

Bayo and I made our way to the rooms in question at the hotel.

There was a guard on each room. Not bad. We zap the guards. Get in the rooms. Get them out and Fio meets us at the entrance, next stop Dandoran.

We pulled our blasters and stunned the guards. Then we moved to the doors. Then, with amazing speed, a host of guards with pulled blaster rifles filled the hall from every direction including out of the rooms in question.

"Halt!" One of them yelled.

They had us. There was no way.

*** Jedi Knight Furin Kazan, Respublica ***

I went with a group of slaves into the facility. With my new natural abilities, fitting in wasn't a problem. Shield on the other hand, the point of having slaves was to save on droids.

"What's that droid doing with you?" The guard asked from behind the outside speaker.

"Special problem with the plumbing. The droid is here to fix it." The foreman slave of our little group replied.

After a split second of tension, the guard's voice said tiredly, "C'mon in."

In we went, and we cleaned from the top, 7th floor down to the 3rd where Cson's people were.

I had just opened the door and seen Cson and his associates when groups of very serious looking blaster rifle armed guards popped out from several directions.

"Halt!" They yelled.

I liked my chances. I had my light sabers and blaster ready to go. Shield had a deflector shield and two high power blaster machine guns. Plowing through a crowd of guards like this was kind of our specialty.

At the same time, we were with a group of innocent civilians who would likely get shot to smithereens. Further, Cson, our objective, was behind us and not likely to withstand an intense firefight. There was also the little consideration that if we started shooting it out, Respublica had a substantial Imperial naval task force. I could see them blasting the building down around us. I didn't want to figure out how well my new physiology could cope with a Star Destroyer's main cannon with direct experimentation.

Strangely, I also felt the Force telling me to be patient.

I raised my hands.

We were escorted to a very secure cell that already contained Jojo and Bayo.

We waived at each other and grimaced.

We were held in the cell for just over thirteen hours.

Then, a large group of guards came and put us all in wrist binders and put a restraining bolt on Shield. The guards escorted us to an important, and very ornate looking, government building. We were put on a service lift, one by one, surrounded by guards and taken to the top floor.

When we were all assembled, we were walked into a room that looked like a penthouse observatory and very luxurious apartment. A major domo announced, "The Chief Praefectus of Respublica Security, the honorable Androccoles of Respublica."

*** Bounty Hunter Mahe Jiru ***

Jiru was frustrated. His regular informants were coming up oaf eggs on any clues as to the Jedi's whereabouts. Time and Credits were burning. Flying here, flying there, it put wear and tear on his ship. Burned expensive fuel. Wasted time and time was money. Jiru calmed himself. Every serious bounty was like this. If they were easy to find, easy to take, someone else would have done it or they wouldn't be worth much. High Credit bounties took patience.

Then something broke. The Empire lost another Star Destroyer. Jiru knew of only one of those that the Empire had lost yet. Could it be a coincidence? Worth checking out. Nothing else was bringing in any leads.

Jiru traveled to Die Tze discreetly. Die Tze was now under Imperial blockade. There were three Star Destroyers in orbit now and lots of TIE fighter patrols. That was okay, no need to rush. Jiru knew how this would go. At first the Empire would be swarming about like a bunch of angry nyigu jackets. If they found the offending party, well, that was likely not Jiru's Jedi. If they didn't, well the Empire needed those Star Destroyers for a lot of different jobs, eventually at least two would leave. Jiru would just find a quiet rock to sit on and wait.

A few days went by and, lo and behold, two Star Destroyers found better places to go. Jiru decided to stay on his rock and see what happened. Seven days later, comm traffic picked up a lot between the ground and the ship. From the bits Jiru had codes for and the bits that were in the clear, it was obvious that a major insurrection had just started on the planet. Imperial targets had been hit. Personnel had been killed. Transports started to run to bring down supplies and bring up wounded and dead. TIE fighters were launched down to the planet for fire support missions. Must be some mean fighting going on.

Then a small ship jumped in system. It shot at some TIEs and ran. The TIEs chased. While the TIEs were chasing, another ship of similar make slinked in-system and landed. Based on where he came from, Jiru could make a pretty good guess where he would be going. Jiru quietly got his ship in position and when the ship came back off Die Tze, Jiru got an encrypted tracker on it.

There weren't too many hyperspace lanes the way the ship had left so Jiru made a best guess and followed.

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	4. Chapter 4

**Legend of the Harp**

 **Episode II: The Tempest**

 **Chapter 4: A River So Deep**

*** Jedi Knight Furin Kazan, Respublica ***

"Hello Tuck." I said.

Tuck was sitting on some sort of reclining couch. He was dressed in some sort of flowing toga, which I knew was formalwear here on Respublica. His tunic was a deep pomegranate red and looked very expensive. All the flowing cloth was designed very carefully to hide it, but Tuck looked like he had gained a few pounds. He wasn't corpulently fat, but he wasn't the svelte young lad I remembered from the Temple.

I kept my clothing the same grey slave garb but reverted to my normal appearance. That sort of change might be possible with disguise tech, as I didn't feel like I might want to explain everything to Tuck.

"Furin and is that Jors?" Tuck asked.

Jojo looked around and said, "Looks like you're doing pretty well for yourself Tuck."

I smiled and said, "Funny, both of you decided to be sheriffs."

"I suppose we did, though Tuck's position looks a lot more cushy." Jojo agreed.

"This puts me in a very awkward position." Tuck said with a bit of consternation.

"How so?" Jojo asked.

"I have to turn the four of you over to the Imperials. I should probably also turn over your ships and the people on them." Tuck said.

"Well you can't do that." I said.

"Why not?" He asked with an edge.

"There are three reasons I could explain, but I'll only say the first. You are a fellow Knight. You must assist us." I said.

"This is very awkward, and you have put me in a difficult position." Tuck said diffidently.

"Yeah and it gets worse," I said. "I need the ship designers and their families."

"Oh, and we're likely to disturb the peace, cause property damage and commit grand larceny on the way out." Jojo added.

"Gentlemen, I must ask you to be reasonable. I might be able to get the four of you away, but the other things are out of the question." Tuck replied irritated.

"That's true, out of the question in the sense that they will happen. Now I can see that this will put you in a bad situation here on Respublica where you are the chief henchman of Arsin Crassus who is one of the Emperor's" I said and was interrupted.

"As in the Emperor who murdered the Order." Jojo interrupted.

"Chief Toadies." I concluded.

"There's also the matter of the extensive use of slave labor here on Respublica." Jojo volunteered.

"I can't apologize if this puts you in an untenable position. However, if you wish to resume your true duties, you can join us on Dandoran. We could use a good Head of Security." Then I turned to Jojo. "Though that really is your thing, as acting Master of the Guard?"

"The Guard had many different roles. Under the circumstances, and considering our current staffing, I'm sure we could find a space for him." Jojo volunteered helpfully.

"We don't have an acting Master of the Diplomatic Corp. Tuck seems to have proven his chops there, maybe he'd want that post?" I turned back to Tuck and continued, "How about it, acting Master of the Diplomatic Corp?"

Tuck was leaning with his face in his hands. "Okay, you win. Just do it my way."

That night we were each led to our objectives again. This time the guards were strangely absent. The people we were there to rescue had their bags packed and were ready to go. All the designers and their families came aboard Revenge. It was a touching scene to see the families reunited.

"Don't you want some on Bearer?" I asked Jojo.

"No, I have an errand to run." He said.

I moved up to orbit to wait.

*** Jedi Knight Jors Zaemon, Respublica ***

We weren't there to free slaves. We had a very important strategic objective that I was risking. However, I hadn't made any promises. I could also feel the will of the Living Force. Maybe I couldn't save every slave on this planet or in the galaxy, but Bina had come before me. She had helped us when, as a slave, it would cost her dearly. I couldn't leave her to it.

We flew back to Prospero. We found the slave dorm behind the hotel easily. We flew the Bearer right up to the heavily reinforced front door. A couple rounds from Bearer's very capable chin gun and that door was never going to close again.

Bayo and I jumped down even before Bearer had landed and were in the door. Inside was a long square hallway. I looked both ways, heads were sticking out of doors, so I yelled, "Anyone who wants to be free, grab their stuff and get outside!"

In seconds, the halls filled with panicked yelling people.

I stopped a young guy and asked him, "Where is Bina?"

"I don't know!" He yelled panicked.

"Where does she live?" I demanded.

"Level 2, apartment 212." He answered, and I knew he was telling the truth as best he knew it.

I climbed the stairs to the second level. Once again heads were popped out doors and there was chattering trying to figure out what was going on. I yelled again, and the stampede began again. I grabbed another young man's arm.

"Go up to the third floor. Tell them the ones who want to be free, get outside." I told him. He nodded and up the stairs he went.

We found apartment 212. The door was closed. I banged. No answer. I leaned the Force on the cheap mechanical door lock and the door popped open. Inside was a very little girl.

I knelt in front of her and asked, "Are you Bina's daughter?"

She nodded.

"Where is your Mommy?" I asked.

"Bad man took her." She said, clearly afraid.

"Did your Mommy ever tell you stories of Jedi Knights?" I asked.

"Yes. She said Jedi Knights would rescue people like us, but they were all gone now." She answered.

"I'm the last one. I'm here to rescue you and your Mommy. Come with me." I said, hoping I was not promising more than I could deliver.

I took the girl into the hall and stopped a maternal looking woman who already had a few children and had her take Bina's daughter.

"Where does the bad man take people here?" I asked.

"The basement." The woman answered.

Bayo and I headed to the basement.

There was a short, heavyset, balding man wearing very silly black leather pants and harness. He was using a whip on Bina who was tied to a rack, her clothes torn.

"Teach you to give our guest's confidential information away to strangers!" He snarled as the whip came down.

That could not continue.

My saber came down and the man's parts fell to the floor. I was annoyed because some of his fluids got on Bina and she screamed, clearly afraid because she didn't know what was going on.

"Bayo." I said and Bayo moved into position to hold her arms one by one and quick touches of the saber later she wasn't connected to the rack.

"You!" She said.

"I'm getting you out of here." I said.

"What about my daughter?" She asked.

"I have her already." I said. I wanted to say she was safe, but I couldn't yet.

We found some towels and cleaned her up as best we could. As she was naked, Bayo gave her his jacket. We then saw she couldn't walk, so Bayo picked her up and carried her.

We got topside and went outside. Bearer was hovering off the ground and her two lifts were running to allow loading, but the people were panicky, and it wasn't going well. I took over the back lift and Bayo ran the front.

A police speeder showed up and Fio shot it down carefully not to kill the occupants.

We kept loading and another Police speeder arrived to the same effect.

Finally, we had everybody aboard.

I said into my comm link, "Home please," and we were blasting into space.

I checked on Bina. Bayo had reconnected her to her daughter and made sure she was first in the tank for the med droid.

We were scrambling comm signals in case anyone tried to blow up our former slaves. Each one would eventually go through the med droid who would remove their slave chip.

*** Jedi Knight Furin Kazan, in orbit above Respublica ***

I saw what Jojo was doing on the ground. He was putting our very important mission at great risk, but how could I begrudge him?

*** Jedi Knight Jors Zaemon, Dandoran ***

When we got back to Dandoran and Korpluck Town, we made sure all the slaves went through a med tech to get their chips out and make sure they were in good shape.

We had brought in 201 slaves.

The men and most of the young women went through Militia training. The young ones pretty much all joined our Harp Militia. The older ones got jobs, there was always a bottomless demand for labor at Korpluck, Batampte and Kohn's.

Bayo didn't want Bina to have to wait for a place, so he had her and her daughter join him in his home.

We were still behind on home building, but it was happening.

*** Jedi Knight Furin Kazan, Dandoran ***

I met with Cson and his people.

"We took action to keep you from being turned over to the Imperials. Despite this, you are not obligated to us. I will help you and your families to go anyplace you want. However, I would like you to know you're welcome here. We are in desperate need of your assistance." I began.

Cson replied somewhat irritably, "You deprived us of our day in court. We had committed no offence, there was no way they could have convicted us of anything. Now we're fugitives."

"I don't think you're that naïve sir." I replied.

While Cson continued to sulk, Ri said, "We are not. Thank-you for your gallant rescue. As there are now few places we can go, we are very interested in your offer. Please, give us the details."

"I have a variety of ships that need major renovations. I have the ships, material and yard. I don't have the ship designers. I'm sure I can find comfortable quarters for all of you and help you establish a design studio. I would be happy to pay you whatever is reasonable. If there are projects you wish to pursue, I would be happy to entertain and sponsor them. I'm prepared to be a very generous sponsor. As you should be able to see, there is also more than adequate work and opportunity here for your families as well." I offered.

From that point, there was discussion, but they were amenable, and I wanted them. I'd done research on what it costs to employee design teams like them and their demands were reasonable. We came to terms.

They were moved to the front of the line for home production, perhaps that wasn't fair, but they were very highly priority. A design studio, essentially a large, comfortable set of offices, would be built first. The studio would have a choice location directly adjacent to a park, near the school, market and central train station. The five designers would have very nice homes adjacent to the studio and their families who needed separate homes, adjacent to those homes.

A couple days later I was sitting on the deck of our villa with Ri chatting amiably over a brandy about our coming design projects and priorities. When I found I couldn't help myself from saying, "I was surprised by Dr. Cson's response when we first met."

"I know, and I apologize." Ri replied.

"He doesn't seem stupid or out of touch. What's going on?" I asked.

Ri sighed and leaned back, "The best I understand it is this. Cson and our team were key designers on the Prince, which is the basis of all Republic and now Imperial warships. It was a lot of work and clearly well done, those designs are still being built in large quantities. However, the Republic stiffed us. That was over a year of work. It was difficult for all of us to financially swallow that loss.

"Cson, as leader of the team, wears many hats. One of them is to find us good paying work. Another is to make sure we get paid. He had little recourse, so he did the only thing he could, spoke out publicly. Then the Republic became the Empire. We knew what he was saying could be construed as treason against the Empire. We told him to stop. He did. Unfortunately, it was too late.

"If Cson admits that we would hang if we went back to the Empire, that's one more layer of wrong he can't manage."

"I see. Maybe there's something I can do about it. I'll do some research." I replied.

When it was time to dedicate the new design studio, probably the most elegantly designed structure on the planet, there was a little party with the families, some local VIPs and us Jedi. I took the five designers into a side conference room and spoke privately for a few moments.

"I've had some time to do some research. I've determined that I feel this team was improperly left unpaid for their valuable services rendered to the Republic. I am in no way connected to the chain of authority which made that decision. I am not the Republic. However, I am trying to bring back the Republic. I can see that having been wronged by the Republic quite severely, you may not support my goals.

"I can only do this, as someone trying to look after the Republic's affairs, I offer you my most sincere apologies. In addition, I guarantee that so long as you remain in my employ, you will be comfortable and well paid. Further, so long as I live, I guarantee your freedom, if you wish to leave, you may leave.

"Lastly, I have researched the amount you were unpaid. It is a substantial amount. I have prepared a draft, which I now present to you for the full amount."

With that, I presented Cson with the draft. He looked at it and had to wipe an eye.

They framed the draft and put it on display in their office. To my knowledge, it has never been cashed. Cson and his team have been very capable contributors.

First up was Blue and that meant I needed to do the most difficult thing I had ever done that didn't include sending someone to their death, start setting limits. I could just build a replacement for Blue, perhaps a Revenge-type ship, Blue sized. I could even go more extreme, instead of a hundred worlds, survey a thousand. Ten thousand. I was always thinking of ways to be more extreme. More extravagant. There were two problems with that. First, it took time. Time, I knew we didn't have. Secondly, it took Credits. I did have Credits, but if I spent like a drunken sailor on each thing, eventually they would run out while the Empire kept taxing it's way to victory.

I had a quiet sit down with Corbeen, Jotun and Cson and we discussed options. While it made me feel like a cheap used speeder salesman, I realized it was critical for fiduciary responsibility.

We set certain standards.

For allied ships, like the Corellian Patriotic Fleet and Die Tze's, we would use the enhanced structure materials for the chassis and pieces of armor from my favorite armor supplier, though only for repair and upgrades. If a different system needed replacement, it would get the top-of-the-line Corellian replacement. For example, if the ship's energizer needed replacement, we wouldn't just shove in a basic replacement, we'd get something like the ThunderCat, if it was available, the best system available if it wasn't. In addition, the basic pieces used, like conduit, joins, etc. that would be needed, we used the best Corellian military grade parts that could be gotten.

Otherwise, we would use Corellia's best and get the ship together and ready for action. The only way I cheated myself in this situation was to allow adding extra CEC grav plate if it wouldn't require a major refit. They would also get a good lick of Zillo paint.

For my pirates, I would go a bit further and I authorized deflector shields from my favorite supplier and maxing grav plate with the best Corellian military grade.

All of this would be something of a pain for Old Hack as he would have to keep two sets of parts on hand in inventory. The stuff we used for the pirates, who would now be doing most of their refit calls with him and a set of high-quality civilian level parts for the work we would do for civilian clients, which we had. Old Hack was actually turning a narrow profit! After doing the pirate refits!

The Nubian Planetary Guard Fleet started making large purchases from CEC. We bought a lot of my favorite torpedo motors. Also, after careful review, a large number of seven hundred and sixty thousand Credit torpedoes and forty-two thousand Credit torpedoes which were both clearly a bargain and better than substantially more expensive models. Also, I bought a mountain of cheap surplus, but reliable, eight thousand Credit torpedoes I found for a deal.

The NPGF, which did not exist and would not be buying Corellian parts if they did, also bought large numbers of top-of-the-line Corellian military grade shield generators which were pricey, but we needed to make sure we had enough in inventory. Different sized ships and applications required different sized shield generators in different quantities. If a shield generator is stressed, it can recover. If it gets pushed too hard, it can be burnt out. If shields are reduced, then shields can be destroyed like any other piece of equipment.

Lastly, I bought a lot of cannon. The alternating fire quad 30 mm cannon were going to become somewhat standard in my fleet as well as a fifty mm main cannon. I almost bought the "Turbo Laser" brand, but then decided that the CEC model was just as good, was less expensive and I could get them for a further discount.

I knew there would be a day soon when the Empire would regulate the sale of these sorts of military hardware. I might be able to keep buying but didn't want to depend on it.

With Cson's group working on it, Blue went in quickly for refit. She would need a variety of work which had been neglected in the recent past. She had a substantial amount of structure that had rotted or buckled. We would be replacing all her bad structure with our new super strength stuff and adding extra in some areas. We would also be increasing the gravitic load by 10%, but with Corellian supplied plate. She would need some armor patching. Which was done with my non-CEC supplier. Her guns were antiquated so they were swapped out. The big job was the energizer, it had become weak and needed replacement. She got a ThunderCat. Surprisingly, her shields, brain and many other systems were in good shape. She reflected a ship that had been built by some canny folks who knew they would have to fight and might die in her, but she had also suffered from neglect. I loaded her torpedo bays with surplus Separatist. Needed to move them out of inventory.

Just as Blue was going through shake downs from her refit, my pirate alarm went off. The Fury was calling from Emberlene and was in distress. We loaded up with everything we could grab and raced to Emberlene. I was loaded with droids and Bearer would follow with real troops.

I got there in time to see the Emberlene ships, including Fury, make their final stand against a three Star Destroyer flotilla. Maybe I should have dived in, but watching, I could see how the swarms of TIE fighters had already washed away the Emberlene fighters leaving their ships with no screen and in trouble. The Emberlene ships, a collection of converted small freighters and utility ships would have been in trouble against the Star Destroyers as it was. They were all, including Fury, soon destroyed. The few that managed to launch escape pods, quickly had those pods sucked into Star Destroyer bellies.

As I watched their decimation, I said quietly to myself, "May the Force be with us."

I stayed back and, as the other pirates arrived, I ordered them to stay back as well. When all were present, we left quietly.

There was nothing we could do. If we joined the battle, we'd be just as pointlessly dead. If we tried to land, we'd be detected and just as dead. The best we could do would be to go back when the Imperials left and see if there were any people we could help. I left a scout droid and we withdrew.

We reconvened on Elysia and had brief ceremony for Fury.

"I am so frustrated about Emberlene." I thought through to Sky as we left Elysia.

"Why?" She replied in kind.

"Emberlene was supposed to go the other way. Captain Mislanda and her "former" Mistryl Shadow Guards were supposed to help me draw Emberlene into a wider rebellion. Instead, their actions with me have resulted in Imperial action which is now devastating Emberlene." I explained.

"Didn't they already choose enmity with the Empire? Couldn't this action be based on that?" She asked.

"It's possible. Emberlene was devastated before by war, my records show it was a coalition of their neighbors defending themselves from Emberlene aggression. The official Emberlene government line has been it was the Empire. Maybe that wasn't honest, but it was the rare moment that some skullduggery was actually working in our favor."

"Is it likely that Emberlene will be completely destroyed?" She asked.

"Certainly, the damage is likely to be enough to put them out of the picture for a while. I suppose I should put in some orders." I answered.

I queried the Stash for useful gear. Then I put in orders for food, water purifiers, power supplies and fuel. I also ordered a thousand hover lorries from Spires Motors. It would be the least I could do for Fury. I alerted Captain Kory at Hope shipping to be ready to start moving relief cargoes.

Then I made my way back to Dandoran, sending a message to Jojo to let him know when I'd be at the house.

After I landed near the house, I met Jojo on the roof deck. Our normal ritual was to have some saber practice together there first thing when we got together. Fio didn't join us.

"Where's Fio?" I asked.

"With all the excitement lately, she hasn't been getting much chance to do her practice. She's in the mountains right now getting in some good running. Hopefully building her connection."

"That must be tough for her." I said.

"Yeah, you and I had a decade or so to figure it out, with the best teachers, mentors and coaches in the galaxy. She's had months and us. Still, I have hope. She just needs time to work on it." Jojo replied.

Jojo was right. People who didn't understand the Force, and that was everyone who was not sensitive to it and many who were, either think we are slaves to the Force or that the Force is merely a tool for us to command. In fact, it is both and neither. The Force needs the Jedi to act, but it also guides. What a youngling would do in the Temple, constantly encouraged and coached by their teachers, is learn how to bind themselves into the Force so that always moving with the Force became as natural as breathing. This was critical as, in moments of stress, a Jedi might try to either control the Force or abdicate, neither would work. As a Jedi became bound to the Force he would become able to use it for ever greater feats, both of strength and dexterity.

Fio had gone through a lot and learned a lot, but she had not had the opportunity to spend ten years at the Temple slowly developing. She would need to come to her abilities more quickly and that was what Jojo was working on with her now and why she was in the forest running.

We had begun to spar. When we sparred, I was still Fio's clear superior, but she was not present this evening. As for Jojo, he didn't dominate me, but he always got the better of more touches and more matches. It didn't matter if I went with a single blade, two blades, all four, or today's effort, four shortened blades, Jojo and his one blade still had the edge.

Our house in the hills had a large roof deck where we sparred. It was not really wise. We could spar indoors. We had a number of systems up to insure our privacy as we sparred, but no system is perfect. If the Imperials found out there were Jedi on Dandoran, that would probably bring a massive Darth Vader-led fleet and it was a risk we didn't need to take. It was just so good to spar in the open air.

"How goes the training?" I asked as our blades clashed.

There were things Jojo and I did together, like rescue the scientists and try to help Emberlene, but most of the time we were apart. I was trotting about the galaxy doing business deals and trying to support any pocket of resistance I could find.

Jojo had his own projects. Most significantly training Fio and the troops.

The Korpluck Militia was now clearly divvied up. The understanding was that any militia in residence would submit to unified command, essentially Jojo, in the case Korpluck Town was attacked. However, in the absence of attack, each militia would be responsible to it's own chain of command. Jojo and I still had great suasion as we were paying for them, but still, nominally each was independent.

The one exception was the Harp Militia. They were people who had given their loyalty directly to us in the hope we would use their lives to find a way to oppose the Emperor and restore the Republic. We had not yet found such a way.

"The trainings going well." Jojo replied. "They're really learning to integrate with droids."

Currently, we had a little over 200 troopers in the Harp militia. We also had 200 BX droids. In effort to spread them out and make the sentients more likely to survive and the droids more effective, the units had been mixed. They had been training as combined units for some time in this new configuration. So, we had four companies. We also had one company of the Ball droids. So, one battalion as such things would have been measured during the Clone Wars.

A Star Destroyer would have thousands of Storm Troopers ready to deploy at a moment's notice and the Empire had hundreds, if not thousands, of Star Destroyers.

I had confidence that with the weapons they had, the training and the leadership, our Harp battalion could fight and beat a battalion of Storm Troopers, maybe two, but not ten.

We also had a company of HX droids and twenty Balls on the New Temple. There were also 10 HXs and 2 Balls each on Revenge and Bearer.

We were working on more HXs and Balls back at the Temple.

"You know, getting my rear handed to me by the Empire on Die Tze and Emberlene is making me more sympathetic to the Masters." I said ruefully.

"Really? What do you mean?" Jojo asked.

"I warned the Masters twice and twice they ignored me to our peril. I realize now that I was angry at them for that. I realize now that there were things I didn't know. Considerations I wasn't privy to. Maybe they had already been maneuvered into a corner, like in a game of Dejarik, and had no room to respond. They were not all-powerful gods, just mortal beings trying to do the best they could under bad circumstances."

"You're probably right." Jojo replied.

"I've been beaten twice in a row now. Jojo, maybe the Hero of Plynth shouldn't be leading the effort? Maybe they all deserve better?"

"You're being too hard on yourself. You can't expect to win every time. We did win against some big odds here on Dandoran and that raid on the Imperial convoy went well too. I would also point out that we may have lost on Die Tze, but that wasn't your leadership. The part we planned, the initial liberation, went well. We just have to pick a strategy that works better for us." Jojo replied.

What do you suggest?" I asked.

"We're too weak to hold territory. Anything we do has to be in then out. We tried to hold them at Die Tze. Maybe it could have been done better, it certainly could have been done worse. We learned from the experience and now live to fight another day." Jojo explained.

"What about Emberlene?" I asked.

"Frankly, I'm surprised. I'm guessing they figured out we had an Emberlene ship among the pirates and went after the whole planet. We know Emberlene was no friend of the Empire. Maybe they decided to solve two problems with one very large stroke." Jojo speculated.

"What do you think we learned?" I asked.

"We need to be careful. Provoke them too much, and they may come here." Jojo explained.

Just as Jojo was saying that last passage, he did something which wrong footed me, again, and scored a touch.

"What was that you just did? I just realized you have done that to me several times." I asked.

It was normal in sparring to ask questions and share a bit of technique. When Jedi sparred, it wasn't about establishing dominance, it was about mutual improvement. My current blade selection was helping Jojo practice some new things in case we ran into the Wing Kong again. Not likely, but Palpatine was clearly a master of manipulation and applying pressure. Jojo had done something that wrong footed me several times.

"Oh, you finally noticed that move. I wondered when you would. Here I'll show you." Jojo said with a knowing smile.

Then Jojo took me through the move step by step.

"You see, you give a step to provoke your opponent forward and then, when they're off balance, strike." Jojo explained.

"You know Jojo, I think you just showed me what we need to do." I said, the scales falling from my eyes.

After sparring I sent a message to Admiral Pagot to arrange a meeting.

The Die Tze holovid documentarists had produced the well received, "The Rape of Die Tze." It had succeeded in giving the Empire a black eye. It was clear from the public record that Die Tze had welcomed the Empire. The public record also made it clear that Die Tze stopped being a tourist destination. Just as the Empire's accusations against the Jedi Order had stuck because the Order had clearly collaborated in the use of clone soldiers, these public record corroborations of the documentary made the most obvious conclusion that it was true. Further, when Imperial propaganda tried to dismiss it, they only gave themselves a further black eye and loss of credibility.

We would make the documentarists useful again.

I had three days before Pagot could pull together his Captains. So Jojo went back to training and I zipped off to do some errands. I ran Hera Syndulla back home, all graduated from pilot's training, along with ten new tanks all filled with fuel. Hera had been the only one to make it through the pilot training. I picked up the fuel empties and ran a hundred new Twi'lek volunteers back to train. No new pilot candidates.

Now we had a barracks for these volunteers. Very civilized, though not by a galactic standard for middle class living, though much better than we had before. Essentially, it was a large room with individual bunks, foot lockers and, at two ends, latrines. By the looks of these Twi'leks, heat, a cot, clean clothes, lavs and three square meals a day would be an improvement.

I dropped off the new guys and helped Jojo and his team get them settled. Then I grabbed Jojo and took him up to the Rock to talk with the Captains. Admiral Pagot and his captains were all present. In addition, Admiral Elbi had been invited as a courtesy and was present as well.

"To what do we owe the pleasure of this meeting tonight Master Jedi?" Admiral Pagot asked pleasantly.

"Ah yes," I began. "You may remember me discussing how a deterrence defense was not the best strategy. The Empire, when they come, will not be deterred. They will appreciate your strategic choices, as that will allow them to make sure you're all dead. Even if you inflict substantial casualties, when they come, they will be prepared to absorb casualties to achieve their goals. One advantage they have is that they just don't care that much about their soldier's lives.

"So, you may remember the alternate strategy I recommended, delay to allow for evacuation."

"Yes," Admiral Pagot interrupted me, "there is just one problem with that strategy."

I smiled at Admiral Pagot in what I hoped was a sympathetic way. My criticism of basic strategy fell most specifically on him. As highest ranking naval officer, it was his responsibility to establish basic strategy and I was saying his was flawed.

"You are right. To evacuate, we would need someplace to evacuate to and we just don't have such a place. I have led us to a very awkward spot. The basic reality is we can't hold territory. The Empire is so much more powerful than we are that, once they commit to our removal, we're gone. No civilized system would accept us and sign their death warrant with the Empire and even an uncivilized system would eventually be found." I conceded.

"Which leaves us with a deterrence strategy as the best default." Admiral Pagot stated.

"I think I may have come up with an alternative, but it will require some deception."

After that I explained my plan. It left everyone smirking.

I watched Admiral Pagot, in full dress uniform looking so distinguished, deliver his remarks on holovid, "We made a decision to leave Corellia space not as a desertion, but to preserve the rights, privileges and dignity of Corellia. We do not feel it is lawful for either the Empire to demand or for the Corellian government to agree to surrender her fleet to the Empire. However, as there is no open state of hostilities between Corellia and the Empire, we have stayed here, in Dandoran space, as a quiet peaceful protest, which is all that was ever intended.

"It has been pointed out that our presence here in Dandoran space may be seen as a provocation. That the Empire may consider our few ships some sort of threat and feel obligated to attack us here. It was not our intention to do violence and we do not wish to provoke violence. The kind people of Dandoran have welcomed us in peace and the last thing we would wish to do is bring violence upon them.

"In pursuit of that goal, we will leave Dandoran space. Rather than sit idle, we will take our ships and explore as yet uncharted areas beyond the outer rim. Our goal will be to expand the base of sentient knowledge, open new vistas to settlement and make contact with new species with a message of peace.

"We do stand ready to return to Corellia space should Corellia ever need us to defend her."

It was beautiful. It was touching. The Die Tze documentarists had recorded the speech and would dump it to thousands of holonets throughout the galaxy. It would become common accepted knowledge, the Corellian Patriotic Fleet was no longer here in Dandoran space. The Empire would have no real reason to intrude on Dandoran. They could focus on bigger fish to fry.

"What about the Die Tze fleet? Won't we still bring the Empire?" Admiral Elbi asked back during the meeting.

"Your fleet is moving around Hutt space and other areas, is in bad condition and is too small to be a threat to anyone." I answered.

"Hey!" Admiral Elbi began to protest.

"Admiral please, the CPF isn't going anywhere. There is an ice giant planet about 4.5 billion kilometers out from Dandoran's star. We will move the Rock and the CPF there. No one will be looking for them there and the planet should hide the base and ships from casual observation. Your ships will make demonstration trips looking weak and confused. This will all be a fiction to move Dandoran down the Imperial priorities list. Your fleet and the CPF are too precious to spend foolishly. Someday there may be a time and place you feel is worthwhile to spend your vessels. Until then, we must keep you safe." I explained.

My inside knowledge of Imperial intentions was limited, but once the ruse was played, it seemed clear that we dropped substantially on the Imperial priority list.

*** Bounty Hunter Mahe Jiru, Dandoran Space ***

What do you know? The ship went back to, of all places, Dandoran!

Jiru did a scan of the system.

"My how things have changed!" Jiru thought.

When Jiru had been here before, the place had been nearly empty. One small space port on the ground on the northern hemisphere and that was it. Now there was a station, a major shipyard, there seemed to be something near a big gas giant, it was hard to see on scanners directly, but was generating significant comm traffic and ships were moving back and forth in the direction. There was also just a lot more traffic as well.

A look at the planet showed a major new settlement and a new ground-based spaceport about fifty clicks north east of the Hutt's spaceport.

Somebody had been busy.

Jiru landed at the Hutt port. Fuel, Jiru noticed, now cost half of what it had before. Likely due to that spaceport up in space. Jiru had a small speeder car and he took it out and went for a drive. He drove around the Hutt spaceport. At first, he saw nothing out of place. Then he did something that had stood him in good stead in many other situations. Instead of looking at everything that was there, look for what was missing. A couple more circuits and Jiru noticed, there was no human neighborhood, where was it?

Jiru went back to the bar and had an ale. Then he asked the barkeep, "I had a buddy, lived in the human neighborhood, what happened to that neighborhood?"

"Oh, you mean Korpluck Town." The barkeep replied affably, after all Jiru was a paying customer.

"Yeah that's what he called it." Jiru replied.

"They moved the whole Korpluck town fifty klicks north east. Completely rebuilt and expanded it. I'd like to check it out, maybe move there, but you need a pass to get up there. Kind of humans only." The bartender said.

Humans only. How typical.

"Thanks. Maybe I'll go see if my buddy will vouch for a token non-human." Jiru joked.

The barman laughed.

Jiru drove up the road to the town. He got stopped by some very professional looking non-Imperial troops with very serious looking blaster rifles.

"I'm sorry sir, you'll need a pass to drive beyond this point." The young but serious trooper informed him.

"How exactly can I get such a pass?" Jiru asked.

"Unfortunately, you have to be a resident of the town. The City Administration is working to open an office at the port where an individual can request a temporary pass. That should happen some time in the next 180 days." The trooper answered.

"I'm sorry to have bothered you." Jiru said and turned his speeder around.

An effort to land at the second ground spaceport was similarly rebuffed. Eventually fighters were scrambled when he was slow to comply. Jiru complied.

Jiru docked at the new orbital station. It was clearly someone else's old orbital station, but clean and in good repair. Jiru made sure his ship was positioned so his best scanners were pointed down at the planet. He made detailed maps of the area around the new town. After a couple days, he left the station and went back down to the planetside port.

He loaded up on supplies. Strangely enough, ration bars were cheap. Jiru tried one, expecting it to be old and very stale. Unlike the packed dirt most ration bars tasted like, this one was quite pleasant and fresh. Very nutty. Pleasant surprise.

It took the better part of a day to go overland and circle around to the spot he wanted. Jiru hid his speeder in a stand of trees. Small might not be luxurious, but it gets through tight traffic, doesn't get stolen and hides good. Jiru made sure the speeder was well bedded down, had it's camo cover on it and had local vegetation spread around it. Jiru waited till dusk and started making his way toward the new town.

Jiru had a cloak and helmet now covered with the local vegetation. Jiru had always preferred to do his own scouting. Jiru couldn't count the number of times during the Clone Wars where his personal scouting had uncovered a trick or trap the Separatists were getting ready to spring. It was a big part of why his battalion had such a good war record.

Jiru moved slowly, quietly and patiently. Jiru found where there were scout droids and other systems deployed to warn of an intruder like himself. Each time Jiru spotted one, he would back up and circle. Using skill and the Force, Jiru slowly threaded his way through the defenses.

On the third day at dawn Jiru had made his way to a hilltop, well covered with vegetation. There was a large building, apparently a residence in the hills south west of the town. It was out of the pattern of the rest of the town. In Jiru's experience, that meant VIPs who valued their privacy. That was a good first place to start.

Jiru carefully surveilled the large home through his binoculars mounted on a small tripod. It looked designed to be defensible and not too lavish. There was a landscaping droid that came out and worked for a bit and a housekeeping droid that made sure the outside rooftop decks were swept, neat and orderly. Jiru noticed that the home had substantial space in rooftop decks. Nice, would make a place to entertain with a pleasant view. Perhaps, the owners liked to look down on the town, so they could feel good about themselves. Otherwise there was no movement.

Then, that evening, two Jedi came out on the deck. First, they talked. Then they pulled out light sabers, and like they were back at the Temple, began to spar! After a good match, they settled on to lounge chairs and enjoyed a smoke and a drink.

Jiru could have leapt up, ran down to the house, jumped onto the roof and tried to challenge the both of them. It might have worked but was hardly the most subtle plan. Not exactly catching the quarry by surprise. The night was young. The quarry would likely retire to sleep. Jiru could sneak up to the house under cover of darkness. Then find a way to take them by surprise.

After their smoke, the two Jedi retired inside the home. Perfect. Then they came back out and they got in a big ship. Jiru had never seen a ship like this one. It was at least as big as a Gozanti. It was big and round with two big engine nacelles sticking out the back. The whole thing was painted black. It was probably heavily armed, Jiru could see some torpedo racks. No little scout craft for these Jedi. The ship lifted off into the night.

This left Jiru with a difficult choice. Wait and see if they came back or exfiltrate. Considering that Jiru was exhausted, he decided to settle down, get some catnaps and see if they came back.

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	5. Chapter 5

**Legend of the Harp**

 **Episode II: The Tempest**

 **Chapter 5: Searching for Something**

*** Jedi Knight Furin Kazan, Dandoran System ***

After the Patriotic Fleet's departure for points unknown, or in truth, the outer system, things calmed down. I was still running errands. Every time I heard of someone fighting the Empire, I was there with supplies and moral support. We brought people back from their war zones to Dandoran, trained them to fight, then brought them home well equipped and ready to fight far more effectively.

I heard that someone was putting together a more organized resistance. I tried to contact them, but there was no reply.

So, I dropped in on Senators Mon Mothma and Bail Organa.

Sky and I landed at a pad near where they were meeting on Calloway. Calloway was the small homeworld of a civilization known for various lawn games. It was generally thought of as a small idyllic retreat. Somewhat upscale, but not luxurious, like say, Alderaan. It was not a public meeting, and no one should have known they were there. If Imperial Security found out, I'm sure it would have looked bad.

I walked myself to the lodge where they were meeting and was greeted by some very serious looking security.

"You are not allowed in. Please leave." The guard said to me.

"You're two special guests want to meet me." I replied putting the Force behind my words.

Obviously, my efforts hadn't worked when the guards replied, "We have no special guests. Please leave."

The guard's reply was belied by the fact that the resort, normally an open public venue, was closed.

So, I decided to try another tack, "Let them know, if they're not sure, I could just say their names. Or, if that is not enough, I could say their names to this Holo Net." I said holding up a holotablet showing a particularly salacious holo network. "Let them know the Harp is here." I replied.

The Holo Net in question was one known for covering and publishing particularly prurient news stories. It would look like Bail and Mon were having a torrid affair. Worse, it would mean they would both be under far more media scrutiny of the sort they wouldn't want.

After a few moments wait, that got me inside. I was ushered to a meeting room.

A little while later, Senators Mothma and Organa entered, then sat in the big comfy seats across the table on the other side of the room.

I rose and bowed, as was courtesy and appropriate protocol, when they entered.

Senator Mothma spoke first. "Why have you sought us out?"

"I have become aware that the two of you are trying to form some sort of resistance. I wish to be of service to this resistance." I explained.

"I'm not sure what you've heard, but any resistance we support is of the legal form, done on the Senate floor." Senator Organa professed.

"I'm sure that is not what I have heard. I have heard of support for rebel cells forming in different parts of the galaxy. Fleets of ships being assembled. Troops being prepared. Please, let us be frank. I have substantial assets I could put at your service, both monetary and practical. Let me be of service to you." I offered.

"If we are to be frank, then I can say, were we to wish to foment such a rebellion, we would not be able to associate with you, a notorious criminal gangster. I believe they call you a 'fence.' Were we to do so, it would badly discredit the entire effort." Senator Mothma replied.

I had not expected her rebuff and found it very disheartening. "I see. My efforts to resist shall continue. I would be willing to share my resources with other like-minded groups and individuals. If you feel it would not be of service to the whole for me to be publicly involved, I understand. You know how to contact me."

They rose as I left.

Going forward, they would not be too proud to accept shipments of rifles, munitions, fuel, rations, uniforms and a variety of other supplies from me. Nor would they turn down the squadron of X-Wings. On several occasions, I would deliver cases of hard Credits. Taking my support on the QT, that they could bear. Having me show up at an Alliance Council meeting, that would be too déclassé.

It should not have bothered me. It did.

It made me worry that even if the Republic was re-established, Jedi wouldn't be welcome. Of course, they didn't know I was Jedi, so perhaps that wasn't a reasonable fear. Certainly, they didn't comment about Jedi openly.

At least I was in good company. Many others who were in open rebellion, like Saw Gerrera, were also deemed unacceptable to this new Alliance. I started providing Saw more support. Ships, weapons, training, whatever he needed, he got. Saw always had a way of figuring out right where the Empire had left their sensitive parts exposed and delivering a swift hard kick. I liked that about him.

If I was to be charitable, I would have to admit that Imperial propaganda would try very hard to paint any resistance as criminals, pirates and former corrupt elements. As an apparent criminal and possible pirate, I could see how it would behoove any formal rebellion to not have me involved, at least not openly.

I had goals that drove me whether this so-called Alliance loved or hated me. It would be hard to imagine a new regime as bad as the one we currently had. It would be nice if the new Republic would begin to value Jedi as they had been of old. At the least, I would expect benign neglect. That would be a huge improvement over the current regime's relentless, aggressive and well-resourced hunting.

We had brought all my pirate ships, the Patriotic Fleet and Die Tzes up to grade. We had two squadrons of X-Wings ready to go. The X-Wings were a bit of a middle ground in our current arrangement. I had purchased the forty-eight ships for the two squadrons as well as three T-66 two seat trainers. The Patriotic fleet operated them and trained their pilots. As the Corellian Fleet had no X-Wings or snub fighters, it added greatly to their capabilities to add a strong stunt fighter contingent to their force. A simple paint job could disassociate the X-Wings from the Patriotic Fleet, allowing them to come along on a number of my jaunts. Having nearly fifty high quality, well piloted craft come along certainly increased our punch in a way that was still plausibly deniable for our Patriotic Fleet friends.

*** Jedi Knight Jors Zaemon, Dandoran, New Korpluck Town ***

I continued to train new soldiers. There was never enough time and facilities. We were constantly getting guests who needed to be trained. We could handle about one hundred at a time and we had just trained our third group of Twi'leks.

We now had just over two hundred troops, almost all human. We also had two hundred BX droids. About one hundred of the BXs were stock and one hundred had aftermarket brains and/or motivators.

I stood with Bayo in an open sided pavilion tent in the misty cold of a fall morning overlooking the training fields where troopers were running drills hard. I was pleased to see Fio was effectively running a platoon through an obstacle course. I could just hear her voice yelling, "Move it! Move it!"

We were expecting some record cold and snow in the next few weeks. We were also going to do a survival class. Seemed like a perfect time for Fio to go through that training.

Bayo was kind enough to bring me a hot cup of caf as well as bring one for himself. The first sip was always pure goodness on a cold day like this.

This meeting was to review our Table of Organization and Equipment, i.e., the TO&E. Basically, we needed to figure out where to put who and what so as to have the best organization, the strongest possible unit.

We both stood there quietly, leaning over the table, sipping our cafs trying to figure it out. Occasionally, one of us would lean forward to the large screen which was the table top and move something, seeing if it looked better in one place or another. It wasn't simple what we were doing. It was like a giant jigsaw puzzle with no correct solution. And while there was no correct solution, there were plenty of wrong ones, whose wrongness would be paid in the primary currency of war, blood.

"The way I see it, we have the Troopers, pretty good, we can always train more and get better, but pretty good. We also have the droids. They're pretty good too, but in a different way. They both have strengths. They both have weaknesses. We'll need to be really careful, when deployed, to make sure the right company is applied to the right job." Bayo said.

Bayo and I often worked this way. Bayo would state the problem. Even if it should be obvious to both us. Bayo stating the problem made me look at it squarely.

When I looked at the problem squarely, the solution, no matter how unappealing, almost always became clear.

"We need to mix the companies, half BX droids and half biologic. We'll have four full companies of troops." I finally said.

"That's never been done before. There'll be resistance." Bayo replied, his tone rueful.

"Probably, but it gives us the most flexible units. Flexible means strong. Strong means fewest casualties. Most likely to complete the mission."

That settled it. We quickly drew up the new TO&E. Training would begin with the new mixed platoons and companies. As the training commenced in the following weeks, things went much more smoothly than I had expected. I had particularly expected a lot of resentment and resistance from the biologic troopers. Strangely, they seemed pretty okay with the new arrangement. There was trouble, but, with training, that got better.

One of the things Bayo and I both noticed, and one of the main reasons we realized why regular troopers were so accepting of the droids, was the biologics treating the BXs as servants and beasts of burden.

I, and then other officers started to circulate and say, "You need to develop the skills we are trying to train you, yourselves. Droids may not be there to do them for you. You also don't want to wear them out because your life might depend on them some day. You don't bang in tent poles with your rifle, you don't abuse droids for the same reason," mostly that worked.

Another little wrinkle that came up was that Bayo had been reviewing the A-280 rifle we had been buying and issuing. Bayo had noticed that it had a long stock on the end that added nothing to function. He redesigned the rifle to move the grip and trigger forward, remove the stock and use a simple shoulder pad at the end. This shortened the rifle considerably making it much lighter and handier while not compromising function.

Bayo showed me the rifle at one of our meetings. I immediately contacted Furry who agreed it was genius. I went to BlasTech. BlasTech could not be convinced they would be marketable. However, considering our special relationship, they ran me off a batch for our troops. For those rifles, I also spec'ed in some expensive upgraded parts so it would shoot further, hit harder and be able to fire thirty rounds between re-loads. We designated the rifle as the B-300. I bought four hundred for our troops and redistributed their A-280s to worthwhile causes.

We now also had a company of one hundred Ball droids. I had wanted them integrated as heavy fire support for the infantry. Unfortunately, while the Ball Droids were fast, could project shields, could fire their high-power auto blasters accurately and at high speed, they just had no staying power. After a few hours their power cells would run down. They became the cavalry of our army. Their roles would be fast support, striking or the ability to run down. They also had the speed and maneuverability to flank. They had room on their right shoulder for a single high-power tube weapon. We had a variety of choices in inventory. There were rockets in anti-air, anti-armor and anti-infantry varieties. There were high power single shot blasters and ion cannons as well.

*** Jedi Knight Furin Kazan, Dandoran ***

All of Jojo's good work pointed out a new simple problem. How to move this army?

With all other ship design work completed, we decided it would be a good time to look at my three light cruisers. A Republic light cruiser normally has three engines. All three ships had one dead engine. We took the two good engines from the worst craft, which we then designated Alpha, and fixed the other ships.

For the work, the ships were designated Alpha, Beta and Gamma. Gamma was going to be, primarily, a troop carrier. Beta and Gamma would get a top of the line Corellian energy systems like the ThunderCat. All framing that needed replacement would be replaced by my special stuff with twenty percent more added on. Armor would all be patched with the Scoeti armor. Of course, they got a good lick of my Zillo paint. The engines were a little weak but would be better with the improved power supply. We also found some aftermarket add-ons which would substantially improve engine output. They also got a twenty percent upgrade in top of the line Corellian gravitic plate to improve maneuverability. They each had two shield projectors, I added two more and used my Plan-Tu shield generators. The guns were all Clone War era junk, so they would be replaced, and I added more so we went from eight to sixteen turrets of the quad thirty anti-snub fighter guns. The concussion missile launchers were replaced with proton torpedo racks and they would each end up with four four-pack launchers.

On Gamma, the big guns were removed and most of the exterior deck was covered with launch craft hard points.

With the Ship Designers in residence, this work went so much faster.

Luckily, I had just been on a visit to Fresia. Incom had just released a new ship, the UT-60, or U-Wing in a variety of variants. The ship, when properly configured, could land 20 troops. It also would have room for two Ball Droid door gunners one on each side. We spec'ed in power hookups for the Ball Droids so they could draw on the ship for power. The Balls would literally jump on top of the craft when loading or landing to allow access and their shields would allow the doors to remain open, but the interior would still be protected. Twenty-Five would be enough for our troops now, but Gamma could carry up to thirty. I ordered a hundred. I also ordered more X-Wings.

I had Mik Balquin set up a new round of interviews. We hired forty more ship yard personnel and sixty people who had good ship engineering skills who were ready to fight the Empire. The forty went to Jotun and Old Hack. The sixty went to the Patriotic Fleet where they would get training, and eventually, be the backbone of the Harp Fleet engineering crews. I would have hired more for the fleet but sixty was what we could find.

Gamma was going to be the first ship of the three to be rehabbed. She was still in rehab when we got news, the Empire had rounded up several thousand Corellians deemed 'politically unreliable' and was going to transfer them somewhere for 'Re-Education.'

Jojo and I met with Admiral Pagot right away.

"We cannot allow this. If there was a reason this fleet is here, this is it." Admiral Pagot said with great passion and force.

"It's still not a good enough reason to tip your hand. You have to show reserve. If you don't take this bait, it will prove this fleet is out of contact somewhere in the outer rim." I replied with all the limited gravitas I could muster.

"So, we should just sit here and do nothing while our people are rounded up and massacred?" Pagot asked with incredulity.

"No, we will take action and your people will not be massacred. You have two full squadrons of fighters that can be put into action. They will be used. We'll also likely need command crews. You can start organizing those." I replied.

We had found out the Empire would be shipping the Corellians on five GR-75 transports. We didn't have an exact number, but each transport would be able to carry a thousand passengers and the Empire wasn't into wasting space.

Admiral Pagot showed he wasn't slow on the uptake and said, "You intend to grab those transports the way you grabbed those class fours?"

"Yes, and we'll need volunteer command crews for the transports who will be wearing no insignia, or possibly a false flag." I replied.

"We'll find them." Admiral Pagot promised.

"We'll also need help to start training for ship to ship boarding actions. We may also need your Marines." I said.

"We can help with that." Pagot answered.

"I'm sure. We'll need to figure out where these transports are going. Trying to take them in Corellia-space would be a disaster." I replied.

"Wouldn't that be simplest?" Jojo asked.

"Corellia space is busy. There are lots of innocent bystanders who might choose to get involved in the worst possible ways. There is also still a Corellian Guard Fleet which may feel obligated to intervene. That would mean we would be firing on Corellians. The Empire would love that. Lastly, there is still a huge Imperial garrison in Corellia space, they could become involved all too quickly." I explained.

"So, we need to hit them after they leave Corellia space, before they get where they're going, preferably after they feel like they have gotten away and have lowered their guard." Jojo replied.

"To do that, we'd need to know in advance what their intentions are. That's likely to be one of the most closely guarded secrets in the galaxy." Pagot pointed out.

"So how hard could that be?" I said in a jaunty tone belying my complete lack of confidence.

I put Revenge into the yard for some love. Like all ships, she needed routine maintenance and hers was due. Also, we would clamp on some extra fins and nacelles. The extra bits would be cosmetic and would be attached by clamps that would allow quick jettisoning. Revenge could get away with traveling to many places, but if we took her to someplace like Corellia, her unique lines would draw attention for the many very anti-Imperial acts she had been involved with. Among other things, the Empire was still stinging from the convoy of freighters I had hijacked the previous year.

Figuring out what the Empire planned for the Corellian political prisoners was a red-hot secret. It was a major galactic news story and the Empire knew every disaffected being in the galaxy might take a stab at those transports as much to help the prisoners as to stick it to the Empire. It wouldn't hurt that if successful, it would raise the profile of the rescuing group substantially.

There would be no chance of success if I didn't have that recent slush pile of intel from our friendly Imperial Colonel from Die Tze, who had still not been declared dead.

There were those in Imperial Intelligence who were looking for the Colonel, but I kept getting messages and transfers into the system that kept him just a hand's reach out of the way which kept his clearances open. It was fun. Right now, the Colonel was supposed to be on a listening post in the outer rim whose comm was down. A ship was on it's way to confirm. Just before the ship got there, I had already planned for the Colonel to be transferred to a processing center a quarter of the galaxy away.

The obvious place for the Corellian operation to be coordinated was Imperial command in Corellia space. The Colonel's access showed me that this operation wasn't being run from Corellia, too many possible leaks, but from Eriadu. This was apparently Grand Moff Tarkin's baby. Tarkin was the Emperor's favorite hatchet man, which meant the goal wasn't some political prisoners, but the Patriotic Fleet. They would have the plans for the prisoners only on Eriadu. Likely, the ship's crews wouldn't even be briefed until just before they would leave the system.

I explained to Jojo and Pagot that this was a trap. I then informed them I was going on an intel gathering expedition. With that, I was off to Eriadu.

I collected my modified Revenge and Sky took me to Eriadu. I had a clearance code for an Imperial Gozanti that got me down to the surface.

I walked off the ship, the very picture of my Die Tze colonel, and proceeded as if I was supposed to be on this base. It was all armorcrete and hard angles. No adornment. Very spare and very hard.

I walked off the pad and started to make my way through the base. There were cameras everywhere. Careful observation showed me when I was in a blind spot. I also marked which doors led to closets.

I stalked the corridors hunting for my perfect victim. Eventually, I found him. I saw a major coming down a hallway where I wanted him. I used a prop data pad to linger in the spot I wanted. When he got to the patch with no camera next to the supply closet door I stopped him, "Excuse me Major."

He stopped and turned toward me, back to the door.

He saluted, "How may I be of service Colonel?"

While I started making small talk, I used the Force to press the open button for the door to the closet. The major turned to see who had opened the door and I pushed him in.

A finger of mine extended like liquid and went straight through his heart. That was all it took, and the Major was dead. I took his identi-stick from his uniform blouse. I found an empty supply crate, not refrigerated unfortunately, but it looked airtight. I placed the Major's corpse inside and then quickly re-arranged the closet so this crate was at the rear and bottom of all other crates.

I emerged from the closet as the major. I walked to a sparsely used duty station I had noticed earlier. With the major's identi-stick I started looking for the information. I had just gotten somewhere when a captain in Imperial Security uniform and two Storm Troopers interrupted me. "I'm afraid you'll have to come with me major. You have been trying to access files for which you don't have a legitimate reason to access from a terminal that you are not authorized for."

I looked hard at the three and said, "You have the wrong person. The person you seek is two levels up."

I put the Force behind that suggestion. It didn't work.

"No, you're the one we're looking for." The captain said confused.

"Of course, there must be some sort of error. I'll come with you right now." I said my hands open in front of me.

"Goo..." the captain started to say and there was loud noise like a wild animal behind him. The captain and the two troopers swung around to see what it was.

At least that worked.

As soon as the captain turned, I reached over and took his pistol from his holster and shot all three in the back. I dropped the pistol and grabbed the captain's identi-stick and a trooper's E-11.

I was close to the landing bay and ran for it. I picked up quite a number of pursuers very quickly. I dodged most of the shots, but one of them got me. Ouch. I had a good path to the landing platforms and I had marked that there was a very convincing blast door separating the facility from the pads.

I triggered the door with the Force as I approached and passed through horizontally just as it closed. Rather than falling to the ground on the other side, I went diagonally up so that I reached Revenge when she had already just finished her slow liftoff maneuver and was poised to blast into space.

Just as I entered Revenge, Sky leaned on the Headons and we blasted into space faster than I expect the Imperials on the planet had ever seen anything move.

As we broke atmosphere, we were still greeted by a number of TIE fighters that swarmed and fired upon us. Sky bulled her way through as I operated the guns. The TIEs did tag us several times, but the shields held. As soon as we cleared the gravity well, we dumped the extra fins and nacelles which detonated as we blasted into hyperspace, leaving a trail of debris half-a-light year long, giving a very convincing illusion that our ship had exploded.

I used the major and captain's access as we flew away from Eriadu. I couldn't get any additional information about the Corellians, but I did see that Eriadu believed we had been destroyed fleeing. A ship as fast as ours was likely to be lightly armored and shielded. The much larger number of hits reported by TIEs than we actually took further pushed that story. Most of all, they desperately wanted to believe we had been stopped.

I accessed more of the Imperial network with the major and captain's access codes until they were both shut down. Once I was in an area of the Imperial network, I could stay in, even if they killed my access code. I was slowly building my access. Eventually, they wouldn't be able to keep me out of anything.

As for the Corellians, I had gotten one useful bit of intel. Their first stop after they left Corellia would be a place called Sultoon, so that was where we would have to catch them.

I went back to Dandoran and conferred with Pagot and Jojo to work on a plan. Sultoon was a star system still in the process of forming. There was limited infrastructure there, but it was being mined.

Sultoon was a minor hyperspace nexus and was enroute to such notorious holes as Kessel. It was also not unknown for a ship trying to avoid being followed to jump in one direction and go another to lose pursuit.

Sultoon was an ideal location for all these activities as Sultoon was an unformed system. There was a star in the middle, but the rest was a disc of gas and dust. This attracted certain miners. One could find streams of valuable gasses and minerals just floating loose in space. The problem was that scanners worked poorly, all the gas and dust were effective barriers to current scan technology. Which meant you needed to float blind hoping you would find something valuable. If there was a station, even a load of hydrogen, which was the most common thing out there, would have some value. Sultoon had no such station.

So, if someone was jumping into a normal system, one could expect them to pop out somewhere near some landmark, the main planet, a station, something. Big systems, like Corellia, had designated zones. Sultoon had nothing. There was no there, there. That meant ships transiting the system might pop out anywhere.

So, to catch them, we would need to sweep the entire system. Not a problem in a normal system, but the dust and gas in Sultoon system would mean only very short-range scanners would function. We would not only need to catch them but be able to attack and take control of the ships before they could jump out. Oh, and the same thing that blocked scanners, blocked communications.

A wiser head, like Admiral Pagot's, might say it was impossible. We would have to do our best and trust the Force, or as I said to Admiral Pagot, "Even if the odds are poor, it's worth taking a stab at it. If it doesn't work, then we can try to figure out a plan B."

We were seeding Sultoon system now with Vultures. We would sweep in there with two squadrons, or 48 X-Wings, Bearer, Revenge and eight of my pirates. The two Die Tze ships, which were taking cargoes, would not come as we didn't want to give the impression that the Die Tze fleet was actively engaged in hostilities.

Unfortunately, Gamma would not yet be ready. With her compliment of U-Wings and ability to carry troops, she would have been so useful.

The day came. The galaxy watched as five GR-75 transports and escorts left Corellia space for points unknown carrying 5000 political prisoners. It was an absolute demonstration that Corellia had been brought to heel by the Empire. To add insult to injury, the GR-75 wasn't even a CEC product.

Authors Note: Unfortunately, the information we often have on ships is sketchy. I suspect Lucasfilm hasn't really thought a lot of these details out. The books released on Star Wars ships, unfortunately, bear this out. So how many passengers could a GR-75 transport carry? We don't really know because we don't have a lot of solid information on this ship or any other. A number that seems to be fairly solid about the GR-75 is 19,000 tons of cargo capacity. Currently, low end cruise ships need 25 tons/passenger. Admittedly, a 21st century Earth cruise ship to Star Wars galaxy space craft is hardly an apples to apples comparison, but it gives a number of 760 passengers. This implies transport with some decorum and dignity. I'm sure a ship of the same size designed to move more people with less dignity could probably handle about 1000 passengers. This is the basis of my estimates for the GR-75.

We were already in Sultoon space waiting and hoping we'd pick up a hyperspace signature. I was watching on a holovid display that pitched and crackled as Sultoon-space material created interference.

Between the time it took to get to Sultoon space and the time we were floating, many of our X-Wing pilots would have already been sitting in their craft for over 12 hours. I suppose this battle was vindicating the attack shuttle concept to some degree. Or the need for Beta.

We never got a hyperspace emergence signature. The GR-75s were only likely to linger for an hour at most. We began sweeping, trusting in the Force. One hour passed. Two hours passed. Three hours passed. Nothing. I was intensely aware we would stay out here until I gave the retreat signal and that it was no fun being in one of those X-Wings, which had many more hours of transport time back to base before those pilots would be able to climb out of those cramped cockpits. Four hours passed. Then a signal, quiet, sent in narrow beam from Tranquility came through. "Got something, don't approach."

Then video footage. The GR-75s were debarking passengers to a large refinery platform!

As we watched, and I considered intervening, we got some encrypted Imperial com chatter. I was able to decrypt the audio, "We've been needing some more hands, the Die Tze slaves are just so lazy!"

I sounded retreat.

*** Bounty Hunter Mahe Jiru, Dandoran, New Korpluck Town ***

Jiru catnapped the night away. They never came back. With the sun up, Jiru decided he'd better sit still until dark. To pass the time, Jiru put on an audio feed from a news holo net. Jiru had prioritized stories referencing things like Jedi, Dandoran and the Corellian Patriotic Fleet so he wasn't surprised the first story was about CPF.

"In pursuit of that goal, we will leave Dandoran space. Rather than sit idle, we will…"

By all the burning knife devils of the flame pit, they had bugged out! Those Jedi were clearly hanging out with the CPF and they had all left for parts unknown!

Normally, Jiru didn't like to exfiltrate in daylight, but this was an emergency and if the quarry was gone, why worry?

Jiru didn't just get up and walk out, he made his way out carefully. It was always possible the quarry would come back. It would be a long three days.

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	6. Chapter 6

**Legend of the Harp**

 **Episode II: The Tempest**

 **Chapter 6: I Find What It Is That I've Been Looking For**

*** Jedi Knight Furin Kazan, In Hyperspace ***

In hyperspace I contacted Corbeen.

"Yes?" Corbeen answered.

"I need you to find me five passenger transports that are as big as GR-75s, with at least a thousand passenger capacity, and I need them fast." I asked breathlessly.

"That shouldn't be a big problem, I'll just head back to Corellia-space." Corbeen replied.

"You can't buy them in Corellia-space." I answered.

"Why not?" Corbeen asked with some consternation.

"It will be too obvious and easily traceable. We need these ships to rescue the Corellians who've been enslaved by the Empire. Time will cost lives. Please hurry." I explained.

"Will do." Corbeen said grimly determined.

My next call was to Jotun. "We need Gamma. How fast can you get her ready?"

"Hang on, let me check." Jotun replied.

We talked for a bit, Jotun would rearrange things and get Gamma moving ASAP.

Next, I called Admiral Pagot.

"We know where your people are. We're putting together a plan to get them out ASAP. We'll need a lot of support. I'm heading back to the Rock right now, so we can sort it all out." I explained.

"We'll be waiting." He replied.

Basically, the plan was coming together in my head. We'd need to storm that refinery, rescue the workers, have the means to move them off the station and timing would be critical. Whatever resistance we met in space, we'd have to overcome, but there was no way to hope they wouldn't at least get a distress signal off which meant help would be coming. Help we would not be able to handle.

I sent my pirates to Elysia and went to the Rock.

Jojo was there, as were Admirals Pagot and Elbi.

"Thanks to one of my pirates, we have uncovered critical intelligence. The Corellians are intended as slave labor at a refinery in the Sultoon system. They are to be added to slaves already there, who apparently are from Die Tze." I began.

Admiral Elbi gasped. "So, you finally found our missing people?"

"Yes, apparently so." I answered. "At least some of them."

Admiral Pagot replied, "Then our course is clear. Collect up all our ships and attack. Try and rescue as many civilians as possible."

"That plan makes a lot of sense," I began, and I was glad he didn't have a lot of his Captains behind him. "Except then we fall into the trap that is the reason the Imperials are doing this."

"What do you mean?" Admiral Elbi asked puzzled.

"The Imperials are doing all this to draw you out, to test if you really are out beyond the rim. If you bounce in and start shooting, they know you're still around. Further, they now have an excuse to come after you." I explained.

"So, what do you recommend?" Pagot asked skeptically.

"Plausible deniability." I answered.

"Exactly how?" Admiral Elbi asked.

I began to lay out the plan I had been formulating.

"Right now, Gamma is coming online. I have the Fresians, I'll need them ready as soon as possible. We figured we would use 20 each for Alpha, Beta and Gamma. We'll need the 20 for Gamma, then I figure we can repurpose 20 others for Gamma's other crew temporarily, we'll still need a command crew. Further, she has 30 landing ships aboard, all will need crews." I began.

"What about the other 20 Fresians?" Pagot asked.

"I am acquiring transports capable of moving five thousand people. I figure it will be five ships. We still don't know what we'll be getting exactly. I have my procurer out shopping now. As soon as he gets something to me, I'll pass it along. I figure we'll be splitting up the last twenty as engineering crew for those five ships. Yes, it's thin. Those ships will need command crews too." I explained.

"That's a lot of command crews." Admiral Pagot pointed out.

"Yes, and the CPF will have to give all of them and several more. We'll also still need both squadrons of X-Wings." I answered.

In theory, the two X-Wing squadrons were both part of the Harp fleet. In fact, they were both crewed and maintained by the CPF. However, since they were apparently part of the Harp fleet, they could be used with that magical plausible deniability.

"So, what's your plan? Lay it out." Admiral Pagot asked.

"Yes, if we went now, it might be better. Some of those civilians will likely die in the time it takes us to pull ourselves together. However, we don't yet have the resources to move that many people.

"My basic plan is this, we roll in there, Revenge, Bearer, my pirate fleet, the X-Wings and Gamma. We take out anything in space protecting that station. We also try and capture as many transports as possible. Hence the extra command crews. We board the station, liberate the prisoners, load them on transports, bring them home. One thing, they all go to Dandoran, none come here." I explained.

"We'll need a big group to storm that station." Jojo pointed out.

"The Harp Militia and all Corellian Marines come up here. Master Zaemon, Captain Bayonet and all the Corellian Marines start training them how to assault a space station. ASAP. The Harp Militia and any Marines who wish to volunteer and whom Pagot can spare, go out on Gamma." I explained.

"What about my fleet, I can't sit by and watch my people suffer and die?" Admiral Elbi asked.

"You're fleet comes in behind mine and forms a strategic reserve. The less the Empire knows you're there the better. I hope you will not be necessary for the initial assault. However, your ships will cover along with the Vultures and the X-Wings as we conduct landing operations. We may also need the lift capabilities of your ships to liberate Die Tze citizens once again." I explained.

"What will you be doing while all this is coming together?" Admiral Pagot asked.

"Coordinating resources and acquiring any other new equipment we might need. Also, gathering additional intelligence." I answered.

When it was quiet for a few moments I looked up, "Does anyone have a better idea for how we should do this?"

Everyone shook their heads.

"Are there any more questions?" I asked.

Everyone shook their heads again.

"Good, time is burning the lives of those we are sworn to protect. Everyone to their tasks. May the Force be with us." I concluded.

I topped off on fuel and went right back to Sultoon.

*** Bounty Hunter Mahe Jiru, Dandoran surface near New Korpluck ***

Jiru exited the area of New Korpluck, packed his gear up in his speeder and made his way back to Dandoran City.

Jiru may have been good at stalking and stoic in the face of the many discomforts it required, but he was very grateful to be back on his small ship. He brewed himself some fresh tea while he made extensive use of his lav facilities and the refresher to clean himself and his gear, grateful for the port hookups so he wouldn't have to worry about running out of water or power.

Once he felt modestly clean, Jiru went to a place nearby and found something to eat. Jiru ordered a big bukar beef steak that was very reasonably priced and then was pleased again that it was clearly real, fresh beef, not some sort of long frozen simu-meat. Good to be on an agro world sometimes. Jiru monitored the news holonets while he ate, but all they were talking about was the Empire moving five thousand political prisoners out of Corellia to be re-educated. Feeling almost decent again, Jiru repaired to his ship.

With a last top off of fuel and a quick payment to settle port costs, Jiru left the surface space port and moved up to the orbital space port again.

With nothing better to do, Jiru watched the planet surface. He started to notice lots of ships which were tough to identify suddenly landing, taking in regular sized groups from New Korpluck and bringing them up to orbit.

Nothing too strange in that. However, when these ships got to orbit, rather than jump to hyperspace as one might expect, they started traveling by conventional drive out into the middle of nowhere. Curiouser and curiouser. Jiro undocked and decided to follow along. Jiru had played this game many times. He just looked for a space they weren't scanning, scooted in and matched course and velocity. Once, he was matched, he knew that even if they scanned him, they'd think he was just a sensor ghost. If he was a hostile craft, he'd be attacking.

It took most of a galactic standard day, but the ships arrived at a space fortress. Jiru found a nice piece of ice to hide behind and watch. "This was the fortress the CPF had been using," Jiru realized, "it's just been moved to the outer system. That meant the CPF was nearby. My Jedi haven't flown away to the Outer Rim. It was all a ruse."

Jiru didn't like the idea of trying to take his quarry in the middle of a fortress of their allies. That didn't mean he couldn't don a pressure suit, jet over carefully, and splice into the coms. Then get back to his own ship.

As Jiru warmed up after cleaning and stowing the suit, then a hot shower, a change into comfortable shipboard clothing and finally brewing himself a nice hot cup of tea, he reviewed what the coms were bringing him.

Apparently, the CPF were getting ready for a move on a facility in the Sultoon system. How very interesting.

*** Jedi Knight Furin Kazan, Dandoran System ***

Gamma was doing trials within a week.

The first thirty U-Wings came in by Hope ship.

The Harp Militia were at the Rock, drilling hard on things like zero-G maneuvering and fighting in a station environment. One thing we learned early is it would be useful to have a cutter/welder on each team. I ordered in parts.

Corbeen came up with a clever solution for the transports. He went to Gallofree Yards directly and bought five GR-75 transports they had sitting available for purchase. The big purchase moved us to the front of the line for configuring their interiors. We would have the transports in record time. I had Ti help move command crews back and forth.

I went back to Sultoon. I snuck up to the station carefully. Even fairly close, there was plenty of dust, rocks and crud to hide behind.

I had arranged a big chunk of ice to hurtle into the station from the opposite direction. While the ball of ice distracted them, I left my ship and flew over. I found a way in through an un-minded shield door. I moved about the station easily. I started as the Captain from Eriadu but assassinated a number of Imperial personnel and hid their bodies. I found a supply of small rockets which I would attach to the bodies and fire them out of airlocks. Nobody noticed or cared. I built a full map of the station and it's defenses. I inserted a number of data spikes into their systems. Then I found my way back to Revenge. We slunk out and back home.

The maps made drilling and planning much better. The necessary ships started coming on line. Eventually Gamma was ready.

We were in a hurry, so the ceremony was brief. Various VIPs were there. Gamma was rechristened the Geonosis. It was my plan that each of the three reconfigured light cruisers would be named for a major Republic victory from the Clone Wars. The Corellian command crew and Fresian crew would drill with the U-Wings and Harp Militia for seven days. Then it was go time. The GR-75s arrived on time and they would get time to practice snugging up to airlocks and receiving U-Wings as much as we could give. The pirates came in from Elysia.

The day came. We were ready to go. When we were all in position, Jojo broadcast, "Speed of Force" to the fleet. We jumped into Sultoon and made our way to the refinery platform.

Our ships surrounded the platform and jammed their comms. Then the games began.

One of the things I had done while on station had been to insert an order into the Imperial network to bring empty transports to the station. We had been blessed by the Force, there were SEVEN GR-75s floating empty and U-Wings started by flying to each one.

The station personnel, becoming aware they were under attack, started to move to take the civilians hostage. I interrupted their plans by activating another spike and all the security doors on the platform locked down. My troops, who started landing on station had the code to open the doors.

The station also launched a squadron of TIEs. I suspect the TIEs and TIE pilots who got this assignment were not the best. The eighty Vultures Bearer and Revenge had pre-positioned, backed by my pirates, the Harp Fleet and two squadrons of CPF piloted X-Wings were more than a match and the TIEs were swiftly blasted from the sky.

I jumped out of Revenge, with Shield close behind, and flew to the station. I knew Jojo would be doing the same thing with a pressure suit.

I entered a force field landing dock. I was immediately challenged by Storm Troopers and Security Guard Droids.

"Hey! What are you doing there?" The Storm Trooper leader demanded.

"Surrender immediately or you will all be killed." I announced as coldly as I could. I hoped that coldness would intimidate them and save their lives.

My cold tone didn't intimidate them. They brought up their blasters to fire.

I brought my sabers and blaster out. Shield put up his deflectors. The Imperials were all down in seconds.

I was quickly joined by several squads of Harp Militia. Shield and I began leading the Harp troopers through the station. Our plan required split-second timing. If we could move quickly enough, we could seal the vast majority of Imperial personnel in certain areas, hopefully sparing their lives.

Things went well for a few minutes then one door took too long to open. Shield could get most doors to just snap open, this one wanted to be stubborn. I felt it with the Force and realized the problem wasn't the lock, the doors were just jammed shut from disuse and lack of maintenance. Apparently, it was a major safety escape route for workers. How typical. I reached out with the Force and the door slapped open.

We were through, but behind schedule. Shield realized it as well.

"I will lead a squad down the left corridor. We should be able to link up further down and maintain schedule." Shield volunteered.

"Do it!" I replied and we separated.

We ran into several other Imperial Security detachments, but they went down quickly. I was actually feeling pleased this was going so bloodlessly.

We were doing well. The first U-Wing full of liberated prisoners delivered them to Transport 5 in just 27 minutes. At 29 minutes, Transport 1 docked to the Platform and began loading liberated prisoners.

On the platform things were going well. With the maps I provided, we were getting to prisoners quickly and bypassing security troops. We were facing resistance here and there, but swift maneuvering and Ball droids were pushing through it fast.

There are no real directions in space, but the platform was basically a flat parallelogram. We had named one short side "East" and one "West." Jojo took East and I took West leading the troops. We would consider ourselves in control of the platform when we met in the middle. Before we met, I knew, thanks to Sky, that Transports 2 and 3 had also docked. The new nominal Transports 6, 9 and 11 had been secured.

The station personnel were disorganized and not ready to fight, abuse slaves yes, fight determined resistance, no. We cut our way through. We were ruthless, but effective. We had to be ruthless, a single Imperial trooper could set off explosives, maybe find a way to get a message out. We couldn't let that happen.

Finally, at minute 54, two minutes early, Jojo and I grasped arms. It looked like we were actually winning. Then it all fell apart.

*** Bounty Hunter Mahe Jiru, Dandoran System, near the Rock ***

Jiru sat on his ice rock for over a week and watched them assemble a fleet and train for their jaunt to Sultoon. Jiru drank a lot of tea, working day and night to review each bit of stolen communications. Most meant nothing. Finally, Jiru found what he was looking for, the two Jedi intended to lead the invasion of the station and meet at the middle. What a prefect time and place to take them.

When the fleet finally set off, Jiru went too. He followed them through hyperspace to the Sultoon system. In the sensor clutter, one more little ship was meaningless.

After the garrison of TIEs was destroyed, Jiru went to the spot his careful planning had picked out to dock. No doubt looking like just another U-Wing. He landed, attached a docking ring to the hull and used his saber to cut his way in.

The Jedi had been crafty with the door program, but Jiru was craftier. Jiru sliced into the computer system and set up a counter program that would run at his signal.

*** Jedi Knight Furin Kazan, Sultoon Platform ***

We were in a roughly 10 meter by 10 meter square room. Suddenly, the security doors, one on each wall, slammed closed. One caught a trooper and cut him in half.

My coms started reporting that security doors all over the rest of the station had popped open and the station personnel who had been locked up were now loose and attacking.

Then a short humanoid figure dropped from the ceiling with a light saber in his right hand and a pistol in his left.

Jojo's saber was in his hand faster than I could register, mine were out almost as quickly.

What was this strange little man going to do?

He didn't leave us waiting long, he started to shoot and cut our Harp troopers!

Jojo and I tried to engage him, but he was too quick and soon the 8 troopers in the room were dead.

Then over comms we heard, "This is Admiral Makarov of the Imperial Fleet. You pirate scum will surrender or be destroyed."

Then he was coming at us.

*** Sky, Sultoon System, aboard Revenge ***

Sky was able to resolve the situation quickly. An enemy fleet of one Star Destroyer, a light carrier, two light cruisers and four corvettes were launching TIE fighters now. It was quite a cloud. The carrier was disbursing 48 TIEs all by itself.

Sky simultaneously sent out messages for the pirates to break off and attack the cruisers and corvettes. She also called in the remaining vultures and the two X-Wing squadrons. Their job would be to clear the sky of TIE fighters. Then join the attack on the Star Destroyer.

Bearer and the Die Tze fleet were ordered to join her attack.

Geonosis was ordered to maintain support for landing operations.

Sky wished she had the battle pack. That would make this so much simpler.

Sky spun the Revenge through the sky one step ahead of the Star Destroyer's guns. She compiled the Star Destroyers shield map with her scanners, found the weakest spot and in a pirouette, stood Revenge on her head as she fired the main battery. She immediately started dumping energy into the main gun, knowing it was very unlikely to be ready again any time soon, but she didn't need the speed anyway. She followed with a salvo of eight torpedoes that crippled the Star Destroyer's shields, destroying the starboard shield emitter completely.

Sky let Admiral Makarov report the platform was under attack by pirates, then made sure his comms were jammed.

Fio was doing an excellent job on Bearer. She now had 8 crew aboard helping her manage piloting duties and the guns. That didn't include Captain Bayonet and several senior CPF Marines who were commanding the boarding action. She also had her droid security detachment. Fio still took some hits but was doing an excellent job drawing the Star Destroyer's fire while managing to constantly cross the Star Destroyer's T and bring all four of her guns to bear.

*** Jedi Knight Furin Kazan, aboard Sultoon Platform ***

I was getting updates on the space battle from Sky. She was ruthlessly calm, and I drew on that to maintain my internal balance.

I engaged the light saber wielder from the front, Jojo was behind. I was trying to hold his saber with one of my own, so I could slash with another, but he seemed to have no trouble staying ahead of me with one blade.

"No Master Krell are you!" he cackled and fired backward toward Jojo with his blaster. That was crazy, Jojo would just deflect right back into him. Jojo did deflect it, but the little man was already flipping out of the way and the bolt hit me. By the Force that stung!

Then the little man and Jojo were dueling while I was out of it because I was behind Jojo.

"Master Burana, is that you?" Jojo asked as they fought and I tried to flank.

"Got good eyes kid. Not good enough." He cackled.

Then Shield got a door open and opened fire on Master Burana.

It seemed that made the odds too high against him, so Burana dove through an open vent on the floor and was gone.

*** Sky, Sultoon System, aboard Revenge ***

Sky had control of Bearer's remaining four torpedoes and was programming, then launching them, each time they got into a good position.

Admiral Elbi and the Blue then road in with the Die Tze fleet, catching the Star Destroyer on her starboard flank thanks to the vector Sky had given them. They took some hits, but they poured fire and torpedoes into the big ship, whose very size made it an easy target.

Sky then turned on the Imperial carrier. The carrier's Captain, seeing the battle was clearly lost and most of the TIEs were now destroyed, was turning away to jump.

Sky called to Fio, "Prepare to fire your torpedoes on my mark."

Sky liked to send commands to the fleet by keyboard and text, voice command was unusual. Then Sky turned upon the carrier and unloaded on it with Revenges many guns.

Fio, using her own judgment, crossed the carrier's T right across the nose, breaking her run to jump. Sky was pleased, it served their battle, but she would have never given such a dangerous order.

With the time Fio had bought her, Sky was able to use Revenge's unusually good scanners to see the carrier's shields were wavering.

"Fio now!" Sky ordered, having sent over torpedo instructions that a young Harp crewperson was available to feed into the torpedoes. Fio fired eight torpedoes into the Imperial carrier. The carrier's fuel reservoir was punctured, and she went up like a firework.

As the TIEs became less of a threat, Sky had redirected X-Wings and Vultures against the cruisers. One by one they died.

The Star Destroyer then decided she'd had enough and started trying to maneuver to jump away. It was too little too late. A salvo of torpedoes Sky fired remotely from Geonosis along with the remaining torpedoes from the Die Tze fleet were more than the Star Destroyer could take and, as she tried to jump, she detonated leaving a trail of debris four light hours long.

*** Jedi Knight Furin Kazan, aboard Sultoon Platform ***

I looked at Jojo and he looked at me. We both had questions, but our troops needed us. He ran back the way he came as did I.

The fighting on the station was savage then. All the Imperial troops, guards and personnel who had been bottled up were now out and about. They'd had time, while bottled up, to get a sense of what was happening and prepare themselves. They seemed to understand this was a fight to the death. No quarter could or would be given. There was none of the now typical Imperial attempts to take prisoners. Just savage and intense fighting.

I tried to stay at wherever the fighting was most bitter. I deflected many shots, was shot a couple times and cut through more Imperial personnel than I like to remember. We were taking casualties and I was fighting with everything I had hoping I could minimize them.

Loading was continuing as the fighting continued. Transport 1 had been loaded to the gills and was away. Transports 2 and 3 were still loading. Transport 4 was taking Transport 1's place. Transport 5 was getting a steady stream of U-Wings bringing in liberated passengers. The U-Wings were also bringing a steady stream of wounded and dead troopers back to Geonosis.

Step by step we fought the Imperials back, paying for each centimeter. The B-300 rifles our troops carried gave us a substantial advantage. The B-300s were much shorter than the A-280s which helped immensely in tight spaces. The B-300s also punched much harder than the E-7 and 11 rifles the Imperials were armed with. The Ball droids were wrecking crews. They could handle all but the smallest spaces, had shields and could put down intense fire. The training paid off. I don't know how many Imperial troopers went down trying to shoot from the hip, missing easy shots, only to be shot in return by one of my Harp Militiamen with her rifle braced to her shoulder and carefully aimed.

We loaded up all the transports till they were overfull and sent them on their way. We loaded up Geonosis till the halls were filled with people like cordwood. We filled up the Die Tze fleet ships that had survived until their seams were bursting. Then we loaded the pirates, most of whom were cargo ships of some sort, and when they could take no more, they left. Then we filled up Bearer. I sent the X-Wings home. We loaded our eight Vultures and sent Bearer home. Jojo was okay. The other Vultures dispersed to hide for later pickup. I took the last liberated prisoners aboard Revenge, we just barely fit. I had been considering calling in CPF or Hope ships. I activated the last data spike, gave the platform a nudge and pulled out.

A feed from a well concealed Vulture let me watch the platform collapse into Sultoon's star and explode, just as Imperial reinforcements started arriving.

A few hours later we were safely in Dandoran-space. Korpluck Town was as ready for the refugees as it could be. Pavilion tents were up. Medical facilities were stocked up high. Large amounts of oaf bird broth had been prepared as well as other foods. Supplies of clothing and basic necessities were standing by.

Geonosis was supposed to go to the Rock, but since she was loaded down with refugees, and the Harp Militia had a lot of wounded, they came to Dandoran. I made the med facilities on Bearer and Revenge available. Refugees and troops still died for lack of medical treatment despite the best we could do.

The first 12 hours were almost unbearable. The second twelve hours were really bad. After that, it started to settle down. Those that needed medical care were getting it. It took a lot of rationing and triage, but it was getting done.

It would become clear, as the liberated prisoners, former slaves of the Empire and now refugees shared their stories, that the labor management practices on the platform were essentially to work the slaves to death using minimal supplies to eke out as much work as possible, eventually letting them die from starvation and exhaustion. Many had died there. The Documentarists, haggard, recorded many of these tales. The Documentarists had been on the platform getting footage of the work and living conditions. When Master Burana released the Imperial personnel, one of the Documentarists had been shot and died. The Documentarists would eventually release a documentary about the Sultoon platform. It would be important in changing opinions about the Empire all over the galaxy, but most importantly, in Corellia-space. The Imperials had left themselves open for the punch by not explaining where the Corellian political prisoners were going. That made a huge number of people very curious. The documentary answered the question.

That meant beyond the caring for basic wounds, many of the refugees needed a lot of help and nursing. At best, the refugees were exhausted and starving, at worst, there were many human skeletons. They needed warm bunks and to be hand fed the broth. The militia was trying to organize things, but many simple townspeople also worked for days without sleep to help. Many survived only because of the widespread selflessness.

I took a moment to order in building equipment and supplies to increase home production by an order of five. We were going to need to expand the town considerably.

In a rare quiet moment, I sat with Jojo, who I wanted to be careful of, since his flesh was still human.

"That creature in the room? You recognized him?" I asked.

"I think he is Jedi Master Burana. I had sparred with him sometimes before I was elevated to Knight and accepted to the Temple Guards." Jojo replied tiredly.

"If he is a Jedi Master, what was he doing attacking us on the platform?" I wondered.

"I have no idea." Jojo replied.

I checked my records. Master Burana's fate was listed as unknown. I upticked it to, "Believe he is still alive. May have mental wounds."

We had lost 19 Vultures and 10 X-Wings. I added the X-Wings to my standing order with Incom. I couldn't just order new pilots. I had a lot of ships on order with Incom, but part of my low-price deal was that they got built after higher profit margin orders were completed. As disorder around the galaxy grew and Imperial high handedness became more apparent, the X-Wings were becoming much more popular. The U-Wing, which had just been launched as a product, shared the X-Wing production line and was also very popular. My investment was paying handsome dividends, but delivery would be slow.

We had lost 47 troopers, 23 of which were biological. We had the salvaged parts for the droids and would try to rebuild them. The 23 biologicals had been set to the side and would be buried later.

Captain Crosby and the Music had been lost in action. They had been one of my pirates and a member of what I noticed was now being called the DZ Fleet. Many other ships had damage. Jotun was working night and day to evaluate the damaged ships, share information with my designers and try to come up with rehab plans.

We slowly licked our wounds as we helped the new refugees come back to life. We had the five thousand Corellians. We had all the survivors of Die Tze and we even had people from other worlds, including Emberlene. A fitting tribute to Captain Mislanda's sacrifice.

When most of the refugees were well enough to attend, we had the funeral for the lost troops. I had already attended a ceremony on the Rock where the CPF had mourned their 10 lost pilots. Jojo spoke.

"We lost 47 good people on that platform. Yes, 24 were droids, but they were also thinking, sentient beings who chose to give their lives for their fellow sentient. As much as possible, they will be rebuilt, but some will be beyond reassembly. We also lost 23 troops made of flesh and blood. There can be no reassembly for them. All we can hope is that, as we send them back to the Force with gratitude, their heroic example will drive those of us who survived to live up to our highest potential and to value the freedom they died so valiantly to protect."

The 23 graves opened our new veteran's cemetery. I knew there would eventually be more. A marker with the names of the 10 Corellian pilots was also placed in the cemetery so their families would have someplace to go.

Within a few months, most of the refugees were in good order. Many of the Corellians and DZs joined their own militias. Many of the others opted to stay in the much simpler and more defensive Town Militia. However, most opted for the Harp Militia. When we did the counting, there were enough to replace our losses and build one or two new battalions, depending on how we used droids.

I alerted Corbeen to go look for two more light cruisers.

I had a moment to sit down with Sky, really, we talked through our strange rapport while we both did other things. "I've reviewed the battle several times. You took command and managed to give simultaneous orders several times, while you were flying and fighting Revenge. How did you do that?" I asked.

"How are we talking while you do that task?" Sky answered my question with a question.

"I'm not sure. I wouldn't have been able to do this before the change." I answered.

"Your human brain had under 90 billion neurons. In addition, many of them were not working at different times of your life and they also had limited numbers of connections. Currently, you have roughly 20 Trillion cells committed to thinking. They are all on, they are able to dynamically connect, and they work at the speed of light, which is much faster than the chemical electric connections your neurons had before. That's why you don't need to sleep. Sleep was maintenance for your old bio-brain. Your current system can run indefinitely without maintenance." She explained.

"So why can't I do what you do?" I answered.

"Eventually you will. When you go through the Change, your old personality is mapped and brought over. It's the most you part of you. That personality is running like software on a much faster computer." She explained.

"Wow. So, it's just that we have better thinking equipment." I answered.

"No, we also grow and change as our personality expands to fill the new bigger space. That takes time. You'll think bigger thoughts. See a bigger picture. You change, become a bigger person." She continued.

"So, I'll stop being who I am?" I asked.

She giggled. "All sentient beings are constantly in a state of becoming new people. Much of the time we seek to change. The person I was on my home world was constantly scared and hopeless. You have allowed me to become someone who is brave and hopeful. Children go to school in the hopes of becoming an educated version of themselves. I think when you were teaching Fio, you were hoping to help her become the best version of herself. You are becoming."

"So, when you did what you did during the battle…" I began.

"It was because keeping track of everything going on simultaneously is not very difficult for me. At the same time, I can think through many possible probabilities and pick courses of action that have the highest likelihood of leading to victory very quickly. Then communicate that course of action to others." She explained.

"and someday I'll be like that?" I asked.

"You're already becoming more like that. We're talking. You're also nursing that child while reviewing investment possibilities. Among other things. You'll just be more that way." She explained.

"Is that why you don't like being around people?" I asked.

"A little, to me they seem very slow and simple. Still, I'm also very afraid of them." She answered.

"Afraid?" I asked surprised.

"Yes, I know objectively it's silly. Master Zaemon, Fio, Captain Bayonet, they mean me no harm. But the people of my world have been afraid of outsiders for so long, it's ingrained. Also, I was intensely, but reasonably, afraid of everyone around me for a very long time, so that has also become ingrained. I can't feel them like I feel you. That's why I'm not afraid of you. I know how you feel about me all the time and that makes me feel safe. I'm trying to get over it." She explained.

A few weeks after the battle, the Imperials left Sultoon-space. I read their memos. What they were getting from Sultoon was not worth building a new platform. They didn't want to pay for or "recruit" a new slave workforce. They were stinging from the blow back of taking political prisoners and then the documentary. It's amazing how the HoloNet can be mightier than the blaster.

My final data spike and nudge had sent the platform hurtling into the local star. There was little evidence left behind of who had committed this attack, but I left convincing evidence it was a coalition of Zygerrian and Mining Guild forces. Those parties would have had reason to launch the attacks and the means to do so. More importantly, the Empire wouldn't want to believe this attack had been done by organized resistance. When the Empire accepted the attack had been done by the Zygerrians and Mining Guild, both key supporters of the Empire, it would breed mistrust and animosity within their camp.

Sultoon system had an ongoing population, no one knew how many, of slow ship prospector miners. Slow ships are ships without hyper drive. The omission of a hyper drive makes them cheaper, easier to maintain, more economical to operate. Slow ship prospectors are common throughout the galaxy and typically stay and work in one system their whole lives. Most of the prospectors in Sultoon system were independent, a few organized into small clans. They had depended on hyper drive equipped traders to come and buy their product and sell them consumables which tended to be at very unfavorable terms. The Imperial platform had been available, but terms were still unfavorable, and it wasn't really set up as a station to provide services. The chatter in the system was that prospectors were treated like something that had gotten on the bottom of the Imperial's boot.

I had a new state of the art platform built. Every process would be as safe, clean and as automated as I could make it. The platform would have a number of weapons stations and torpedo racks as well as strong armor and shielding. It would, most importantly, have sensors optimized for conditions in Sultoon space. The platform would have some very pleasant habs attached. My builders estimated we would need a workforce of about a thousand to operate the place. I had habs for fifteen-hundred. I also had, hidden in the dust, sealed habs for an extra five thousand, and stockpiled supplies. Not everyone from Dandoran could retreat here, but not everyone would have to. The platform also could act as a station. Ships could dock, sell cargo, buy services, fuel, consumables. Food, fuel and other consumables would be brought in and cargo would be brought out by Hope Shipping. Jotun and I would also set up a small shipyard right there on the platform that would help do repairs and upgrades for the locals.

For the people in the system, it meant they would be paid a fair price for their product and be able to buy supplies at a fair price for the first time ever. The station would have prominently displayed, on the docks, what various commodities were selling for at major refineries around the galaxy and the price we were paying, which would be competitive. Even if they brought in Hydrogen, the most common material out there, they would make a small profit.

The Harp Refinery Platform would be vertically integrated. We would own the station, the refinery, the shipping vessels. So even treating the system people fairly, the Harp still made a decent profit.

I had gotten into the refinery business on Sultoon, not for Credits or as a social program for the prospectors, but because I felt it would make an excellent bolt hole. We needed that if the Empire ever came to Dandoran to clean house.

What I didn't expect was what a good recruiting station it became. Quickly, fair treatment meant the locals loved the Harp. When they heard the Harp had ships that needed crew and was ready to offer fair pay, it turned out a huge number of those miner ships had aunts, uncles, cousins, second and third children, grandchildren eager to see new horizons and fight for a good cause. All the new recruits had grown up in space and began learning the operation of a space craft, under difficult circumstances, with their mother's milk. I quickly had crews for Alpha, Beta and Geonosis.

It didn't hurt that in addition to the new dry dock, we brought in a handful of ships for sale. They were slow ships, but state of the art. They had better sensors, bigger inlets, bigger tanks, much more comfortable living conditions. They weren't cheap. They were offered, no haggling, for a fair price. However, with the fair terms I was now offering, they became achievable. A mining family could look at their small, decrepit ship, and think, "If we save our Credits, someday, we could buy one of those, live better and make even more money! Then we could leave this thing to children/cousins/etc." Also, after a term of service, where they could save for a down payment, they would even be allowed to purchase such a ship on credit!

We now had a lot more people in New Korpluck Town. For once, Korpluck, Batampte and Kohn's were all staffed up! So, the station helped a thousand of my residents become gainfully employed. Work was like the ship yards, you could choose Elysia or Dandoran as home base. Those who chose Elysia got on three weeks, off one. Dandoran got on two off two. Once again, family people mostly chose Dandoran. Young singles tended to choose Elysia. I ended up buying the four apartment buildings around the one I already owned and renovating those.

We also started another venture. I did a formal survey of Mustelidae. We found a good spot with a high concentration of gravitic ore and some other valuable minerals, like gold. We built a wall around the area and the Mustelidae broke in which caused expensive chaos and destruction. We built a higher, stronger wall and the Mustelidae broke in again. The third wall held for long enough for me to have conversations with the three local chieftains, controlling the north east, north west and south respectively. We came to an understanding that there would be regular payments of meat and they would keep their fellow Mustelidae away from the wall. It was cheap, the Mustelidae would accept what Korpluck and Kohn's both considered waste material as payment. It wasn't perfect, we had to use heavy duty stunners on a number of occasions. The best solution we discovered were high-frequency audio emitters. The frequency was too high for most sentients, including humans, to hear. But the Mustelidae heard it and did not like it, so they stayed away.

We had a community of four hundred there on Mustelidae doing the mining. This was not intended to be a back and forth like the platform, people were expected to live here. So, we also built homes, a school, a clinic and other basic services. We also left room for independent businesses to open. I also made sure we had room inside the wall for several thousand people fast. In case.

The supplies for the community were brought in by Hope Shipping and the ore was dragged out and taken to the Refinery Platform. We had to add several ships to Hope shipping including our first IXp5s!

*** Jedi Knight Jors Zaemon ***

The Empire might have started popular, but that can change.

In the end, the glory of a given victory doesn't glow on forever. People forget. The end of the Clone Wars were very mysterious. Why did the Confederacy seem to just stop fighting? Yes, they had been losing, but without negotiation or announcement, they just suddenly seemed to stop.

Yes, the Jedi had been painted badly, but thousands of years of noble, selfless service had left their mark. Some started to notice that maybe the Jedi had been seeking to save the Republic. As the Empire's faults became more clear, the Republic stopped seeming so bad.

The Imperial Military was amazing. But the war was over. Why did the Empire need such a large military? Who did they intend to fight? As the answer became more clear, the military became far less popular.

New government spending is wonderful if you're the recipient. But if that spending is to support a massive war machine, eventually you'll have to pay the taxes to support it. Taxes which are imposed, not voted for.

Yes, many corrupt bureaucrats and Judges were rounded up, but the departments that were savaged were never rebuilt. The new judges on the High Court, all toadies of the Emperor. Eventually, it would become clear that the Empire was supporting itself on a new generation of corruption, corruption that couldn't be challenged by even the meager tools of the Republic.

And day by day, year by year, the Senate became more and more hollow and clearly less and less able to challenge the ever more powerful Emperor.

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